A Sense of Serenity
by Violet Whirlwind
Summary: Future fic. Fan char's lifestory. SatAM. She was born the daughter of a great hero. Al her young life, al she wanted to do was to prove herself. But when a threat thought long gone returns to plunge the world into war again, can she rise to the challenge?
1. Chapter 1: Wedding Bells

A Sense of Serenity

By Violet Whirlwind

Chapter 1: Wedding Bells

There was a festive feeling in the air that day in a little village hidden deep within the Great Forest on the planet Mobius. The war was over; had been for about ten years now. No creature had seen any trace of the evil dictator who had ruled the planet with an iron fist for eleven long years. The city he had held in cold metallic slavery all those long years had finally been returned to a blissful state of prosperity, the creatures living within going about their daily lives as they had before Robotnik's coup. King Maximillian Acorn, due to his failing health, had abdicated the throne to his more than capable daughter, Princess Sally. She, along with the other original Freedom Fighters, still lived in the now famous Knothole Village. This was purely a result of habit; the secret town had been their only refuge during the long years of oppression, and now it seemed more like home to them than any rebuilt palace ever could. Plus, there was the added security that it was still hidden, and could once again be converted into a rebel's stronghold should the need ever arise.

It was true that the days of danger and adventure were in the past, but in these days of peace, one needed only to look around themselves to find their own drama and adventure if they so desired. Simply living, it seemed, could be an adventure. Life was never boring for long in Knothole. At that moment, a fairly large spectacle was about to unfold.

A brief walk through the secret village, and the infectious spirit of festivity would have permeated even the most uptight soul, leaving them free to frolic in the many games and contests found scattered around the town. Mobians were everywhere, laughing, talking, participating in games and contests, and generally having a good time. It was the eve of the ten-year anniversary of the evil tyrant's defeat, and Knothole was alive with music and bright colors; morale was high and spirits were light. Even the trees seemed to get in on the act. It was early autumn, and the trees had begun dropping their red-gold leaves like fiery confetti.

This year, the Mobian Independence Day Festival was to be an even more joyous event than in previous years. The princess was to be married the next day to none other than the hero responsible for the planet's liberation those ten years ago. Sonic had proposed − nervously − three months ago under the light of an early summer double-moon. Sally had accepted readily, and the two of them had agreed that it would be most fitting for the wedding to take place on the tenth anniversary of the day the Freedom Fighters had finally won their liberty from Robotnik.

Creatures from all over the planet were gathered in a brightly-lit meadow adjacent to Knothole. The town wasn't usually this crowded, but, then again, it wasn't everyday that a well-known princess was betrothed to a hero known the world over. The guests of honor were seated at a heavily ornamented table, under a canopy of paper lantern bearing, russet-clothed tree branches. Princess Sally seemed to be enjoying herself, but her soon-to-be king seemed a little out of sorts.

He tried to hide it behind a cocky grin, but inwardly, Sonic was beginning to feel claustrophobic. The feeling worsened as the evening wore on, each well-wisher that came up to wish the couple luck in their new life getting more and more on the retired blue hero's nerves. It didn't help matters that the occasion had become an impromptu autograph signing.

_Sigh. _"Here ya go." He said, trying to keep the irritation out of his voice as he handed the book back to its owner. She floated off on cloud nine.

"Ahem. Sign mine." It was more of a command than a request. Sonic found himself looking into a familiar ─ not to mention extremely annoying ─ pink face.

"Aaah! Amy, you've already got seven!" he said, exasperated.

_If I can't have you, at least I can get another autograph for my collection..._Amy Rose thought, shoving the book in his face. "I know. I want another one. Sign it. Now," the other hedgehog commanded.

That was the last straw. Sonic jumped up, knocking over his chair in the process. "Arraaaagggghhhhh! I can't stand it! I'm outa here!"

Before Sally could even say anything at all, she was knocked over by the force of his departure. She stood up, brushing herself off, and stared off in the direction he disappeared. _Oh dear..._she thought, sighing and walking off in the direction of the ring pool.

"What? Was it something I said?" Amy Rose was left alone by the now vacant picnic table.

* * *

"Aaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaggggggggghhhhhhhh!" 

The Blue Blur sped around the entire perimeter of Knothole a total of four times, yelling at the top of his lungs. It felt good to finally let out all the feelings of irritation and annoyance he had been storing up for some time now and just run. Midway through his fifth circuit, he skidded to a halt. He surveyed his surroundings, recognizing the place immediately.

The setting sun glinted off the crystalline surface of the small lake, making it sparkle with the colors of the last rays of daylight. Several haphazardly placed boulders, smooth and shiny from age and running water and covered in a patina of soft green moss were scattered around the sand-strewn edges of the pond. A diminutive waterfall entered the pool near the rear, splooshing and splashing softly. An ancient log jutted out into the center of this small body of water, rotting and partially submerged. The hedgehog looked at it and all the memories came flooding back. It was this very chunk of wood, now not much more than floating detritus, incapable of supporting any weight whatsoever, that he used to stand on while waiting for a power ring to surface so that he could go rocketing off on some sabotage mission in Robotropolis. He sighed heavily, plopping down on the bank, his spiny blue back resting against an ancient willow tree. Those were the days when life was easy. _No, not easy, _he corrected himself, _but they sure seemed a whole heck of a lot less complicated..._Now...now his life was about to change drastically. After tomorrow, he would no longer be just plain Sonic, he would be _King_ Sonic. He wasn't sure he was comfortable with that. He closed his eyes, sighing as he let the serenity of the place wash over him, his worries gradually drifting away.

"I knew I'd find you here."

The familiar voice startled Sonic into wakefulness. "Huh? What?" He leapt to his feet, looking around defensively. It was an instinctual response resulting from the many long years spent in guerilla warfare with the now-defeated tyrant. He relaxed when he realized who it was. "Hey Sal." he said distractedly. _Did I fall asleep?_ he thought absently as he watched a couple of fireflies as they danced above the darkened surface of the ring pool.

"There's something bothering you." It was a statement, not a question.

"What? N-no there's not. Ev-everything's cool." he stammered, trying to hold on to that attitude of nonchalant bravado.

"Sonic Hedgehog," The princess had her hands on her hips now. "I've known you long enough to be able to tell when you're hiding something." she said with mock severity. "Now out with it."

There was a long pause.

"Oh, okay," he said finally, sighing in surrender. "The thing is, I'm not really cool with this being king thing. I mean, I love you and all that, but why'd they havta go and make me a king? I'm not...I mean..." he trailed off, looking at his future mate with searching eyes. The ground squirrel was decidedly plumper than she had been during the war, as a result of the child she carried. _That's another thing I'm not too sure about, _the hedgehog thought to himself. _I'm not sure I'm ready to be a father._

"It's tradition. _And, _it's your responsibility. By proposing to me, you've already accepted the crown. Don't tell me you're backing out on the eve of our wedding!"

"Sal, you know me too well. I'd never do something uncool like that!"

"Good. I didn't think you would." Her tone softened as she put a hand on his shoulder. "And I also know you'll get used to being king. It just takes time." _Heck,_ she thought, _I bet you'll actually start to like it before too long, knowing you. _"I have faith in your resiliency."

"Uh, thanks."

"Now come on. Let's get back to the party before our guests start to get suspicious."

"As long as I don't have to sign any more autographs."

"That's your call, not mine." the princess replied, chuckling, as the two of them walked back through Knothole toward the sounds of merriment.

* * *

"Please to be standing still, Son-eek." 

"This thing chafes, big time. Do I really havta wear a tuxedo? It makes me look sooo stupid!"

After the war, Antoine D'Coolette had set up shop as a tailor in Mobotropolis, specializing in formal attire. When not serving his duty as a royal guard, he could be found fitting Mobians with specially made gowns and suits for special occasions, which included weddings. This shop was where he and the hero of ten years ago were currently, as the coyote tried desperately to make sure everything on the blue hedgehog's tux was in perfect position.

"I am thinking eet is making you look quite dashink."

"Yeah, well, I'd rather be 'dashink' out of here. Forget the tux!" The Blue Blur was getting more and more impatient by the minute.

"But eet is part of ze royale protocol!"

"I don't care! Can't I just have a simple little wedding and get it over with? This is way past annoying!"

"Tradition indictates-"

"Indi_cates_, Antoine!"

"Hmm, yes, weel...As I was saying, tradition indicates that ze marriage of ze future king to ze preen-cess-"

"Can it Ant! And would you hurry it up already, I'm gettin bored!" Sonic was mentally screaming, _I don't wanna be king! I do **not** want to be king!_ He began pacing, the French coyote still trying to put various finishing touches on his suit.

"Come back 'ere! Your tie, eet is crook-ed!"

_Like I care._ "How long do I havta wait?" he asked irritably, plopping down in a nearby chair and crossing his arms.

"About une hour."

Sonic groaned. "Wonderful."

* * *

"I don't know if I can do this, guys. I mean..." Sonic stood outside the intricately carved double doors of the temple dedicated to Mother Mobius, the protective spirit of the planet he and his friends called home. His eyes scanned the cityscape, longing for some escape as he unconsciously tugged at the strap of the bow tie around his neck, trying to loosen it. _Like a hangman's rope..._he thought morbidly to himself before shaking the thought out of his mind. _Snap out of it! This was your idea. _he chastised himself. _'Sides, Sal has a kid coming, and there's no way I'm gonna be labeled a deadbeat dad!_

"I think you'll do just fine. You fought bots continually during the war; a little wedding shouldn't be a problem."

"This isn't a _little_ wedding, Rotor. I'm only marrying the daughter of the king, for crying out loud!" the nervous retired hero announced sarcastically. "'Sides, it's not the wedding that worries me, it's what comes next. I don't wanna be made king!"

"You can do it! You can do anything!"

Sonic looked fondly at his best friend and sidekick. Tails was as optimistic as ever. After all those years, he had still retained those childlike qualities that made him so irresistible. The fox was now about 20, although in many ways that fact didn't affect his personality much. He still had overwhelming faith in his idol.

"You're right about that!" The cocky grin spread across the cobalt hedgehog's face as he ruffled the headfur of his best friend. He sighed, turning back toward the temple door as it began to open. "Okay," he said, steeling himself for the ensuing ceremonies, "Let's do it to it."

* * *

Though she did a good job of hiding it, Sally, too, felt her heart pounding as she prepared herself for the ritual that was to join her and the retired hero for the rest of their lives. It was a momentous occasion, to be sure, and her nervousness was mixed with excitement. 

"A little to the left please, Bunnie." The future queen contemplated herself critically in the mirror for several minutes, scrutinizing her new hairstyle. "Hmm...No, it doesn't look quite right. Got anything else?"

"'Course ah do, what would y'all like me to try, this time, Sally-Girl?"

"Oh, I don't know...what do you think would look good?"

"Hmm..." The cybernetic rabbit regarded the regal ground squirrel thoughtfully, tapping her metallic fingers absently on the counter. After the war, she had finally been able to set up the styling salon she had dreamed of throughout those eleven long years of oppression. She had named it, appropriately, Hare Styles by Bunnie. "Ah could try a braid..." she mused.

"Is it long enough?"

"Ah think so...Hold on, ah got the perfect idea!" There was a soft metallic clang as she snapped her fingers. The effects of the robotisizer had been irreversible, however, Rotor had been able to design some less cumbersome metal limbs for her. Slimmer and shapelier, they had even been painted the same tan-cream color as the rest of her fur to disguise their incongruousness even more.

Bunnie began braiding Sally's russet hair, which was indeed considerably longer than it had been during the war. It went almost to her waistline. About halfway down the length of Sally's hair, Bunnie stopped braiding. Grabbing a white ribbon, she tied it off, leaving about two feet of hair loose below the braid. A pair of scissors emerged from a panel in her arm. The half-robotic rabbit used them to trim back errant strands that refused to conform to the style she had chosen. "How do y'all like it Sally-Girl?"

The squirrel moved to a full-length mirror. She smoothed out the wedding gown and gazed at herself. "Hmm...I like it-oh!" Her eyes went wide for a moment as the child within her gave a sharp kick and jabbed her in the side. "But I think there's something missing. I just can't put my finger on it."

Bunnie attached the veil and threw it over her friend's face. "How all's that, sugah?"

Sally looked at herself critically for a minute. "Much better." she said, smiling.

"So, when are y'all due there, Sally-Girl?" Bunnie asked, indicating the unborn child her friend was carrying. "If ah may have the audacity of askin."

"Not a problem, Bunnie. It'll be a couple of months, at least."

"How excitin. Are yuh lookin fo-ward to it?"

"Sort of. It's funny. I've often imagined being the mother of Sonic's children, but now that I'm actually going to be, I'm kind of scared."

"Y'all'll do fine, sugah."

"I'm sure you're right, Bunnie."

"Is it a girl or a boy, Sally-Girl? Do y'all know what species?"

"We haven't had an ultrasound yet, but I think it's a hedgehog. I can feel its little spines digging into me when it moves. They're not very sharp yet, but they're there. We don't know if it's a boy or a girl yet."

"Well, good luck. Ah bet it's makin Sugarhog nervous as a worm in a bird's nest, ain't it?"

"You don't know the half of it." Sally looked at the clock. "Oh no! We're going to be late! I'd better go get Daddy!"

"No need. I'm already here." The wheelchair bound elderly fox was already at the door of the salon, flanked by members of the Royal Guard. He smiled as she approached. "Sally, you look beautiful."

She blushed slightly. "Thanks Dad."

* * *

_Where the heck is she? Here I am, stuck up here all alone at the altar with the entire population of Mobius lookin at me, and she chooses NOW to be late? I've never known Sal to be late...'Course, I've always been the transportation before, and everyone knows I'M never late...I hope nothin went wrong..._Sonic began tapping his foot impatiently. _Can't they hurry up? I wanna get this done! _In an effort to control his impatience, he turned his gaze to his best man: his faithful companion, Tails. The two-tailed fox grinned, as nervous as his hero was. His eyes kept darting furtively up to one of the balconies before snapping away, embarrassed. The groom followed his friend's gaze upward. Right in the middle of the front row sat a very pretty gray fox who looked about the same age as the bashful kitsune. Sonic elbowed his friend playfully. "You never told me you had a girlfriend." 

Tails blushed. "I-I don't."

"Suuure. Why don't you-" Suddenly, the temple doors swung open wide, revealing the gowned Sally, wreathed in golden light from outside, looking every inch the queen she was born to be. Sonic's jaw dropped to the floor. All his nervousness was forgotten as his bride-to-be was escorted by her father down the aisle. The cerulean hedgehog stared at her. She was the only thing he saw as she took up her place beside him at the altar. "Sal..." he whispered. "You look way... past...GORGEOUS!" he breathed. Sally just smiled, suddenly inexplicably shy.

The temple priest cleared his throat and tapped the podium for attention. He was an elderly deer with eccentric black and white fur that made him constantly appear to be wearing a tuxedo. His antlers, having long outlived their usefulness, were stubby and worn down to within several inches of his balding head. Thick glasses perched low on his graying muzzle. It was clear he had lived through both the Great War and Robotnik's coup. With shaky hooves, he carefully smoothed down his white-furred chest as he cleared his throat again. A venerable smile spread across his impossibly wrinkled face and muzzle as he looked up at the couple before him, one of them the planet's beloved princess, the other the hero idolized throughout the world (who was getting more and more impatient the more time the slow-moving old deer spent preparing.)

_Coooome on! Does this guy always do EVERYTHING so slow! _Sonic thought irritably. However, he wisely held his tongue, sighing. This was going to be a _very_ long day.

The priest cleared his throat a third time, and spoke in a muted, rheumy voice, "Well now. Are we ready to begin?"

"Yes!" The azure 'hog mentally winced. He'd said that a little too quickly. He stole a glance at the princess. She was peering at him with a curious expression on her face. He grinned somewhat sheepishly and turned his gaze back to the patiently waiting priest. He mouthed an apology.

Yet again, the aged deer cleared his throat and began the ceremony. "We gather today on this momentous occasion in the sacred House of the beloved Mother Mobius to witness the joining of Sonic the Hedgehog and Princess Sally Alicia Acorn in holy matrimony…"

Sonic didn't bother listening to the rest of what he considered superfluous religious mumbo-jumbo as his eyes met his bride-to-be's, his mind full of its own thoughts. _It's finally happenin! I'm gettin hitched to Sal! I can't believe it! I still don' wanna be king…_His thoughts drifted off as he again became aware of his surroundings. He sighed again, attempting to control his aggravation at the sluggish priest. Finally, the ancient pinto deer got to the part Sonic had been eagerly anticipating.

The elderly deer wheezed a bit, then cleared his throat again before continuing, "Sonic T. Hedgehog, do you take Princess Sally Alicia Acorn, heir to the throne of Mobius as cherished mate for all of your days?"

"You'd better believe it! Er, I mean...I do."

"And you, your Highness? Do you take Sonic the Hedgehog to be your cherished mate for all your days?"

Sally smiled. "I do."

"Bring forth the rings please." A small, slightly pudgy mouse child was the ring-bearer. He toddled forward, holding aloft a cushion on which rested two power rings. The priest looked at the rings blankly for a few minutes, not comprehending. Someone hurried up and whispered something in his graying ear. He nodded and turned to the audience, "This procedure is highly unorthodox, but it seems that we will be using these two power rings instead of the normal ring exchanging ceremony." He cleared his throat again and turned back to the couple before him, directing them to each take hold of one power ring and link them. A bright flash of light momentarily blinded the crowd as the rings were brought together. When the audience could finally see again, the two rings appeared inexplicably linked, Sonic holding one, Sally the other. "As these rings are now irrevocably linked, so too do I pronounce you hedgehog and wife, joined together for all eternity. You may kiss the bride."

"Alll right!"

The crowd went wild as the newlyweds shared the first kiss of their married life. Each had wanted this for over ten long years, but neither had had the time or nerve to express it before. The moment ended far too soon as the priest cleared his throat for the thousandth time.

"Ahem. It is time. Sonic Hedgehog, kneel and face the king, please."

The heroic hedgehog gulped visibly, complying. _Great. The coronation. I am NOT ready for this..._he thought nervously, _Well, here we go..._ Sonic's heart was thundering in his ears. He bit his lip imperceptibly as the current monarch wheeled his chair up to the altar. The cobalt hero found himself staring absently at the elderly fox's paralyzed toes. Every nerve in Sonic's body was tense, poised to whirl and run. He forced himself to remain calm, biting down harder on his lip.

"Sonic T. Hedgehog, in recognition of all your brave acts in service to the crown, in times of strife..."

_Blah, Blah, Blah...Get **on** with it! _The hedgehog was getting impatient again.

"...I hereby relinquish my position as king and give it and the hand of my daughter to this highly deserving hedgehog. May you rule with wisdom and truth in a time of peace and prosperity...King Sonic of Knothole." A hush fell over the assembled Mobians as Maximillian somberly removed the crown from his head and ceremoniously placed it on that of the kneeling blue hero. As Sonic stood, crown tipped jauntily behind one ear, the thunderous audience booming approval in his ears, that familiar arrogant grin once again spread across his face. _Hey, this could actually be cool!_

The new rulers were escorted onto a palanquin. Before the Royal Guard bore the chair from the temple, Sally turned and threw her bouquet. It landed, not in the hands of one of the scrambling females, but in those of a very astonished two-tailed fox.

* * *

Disclaimer: Sonic the Hedgehog and all associated official characters (c) SEGA/Archie/Dic. Used without permission but not for monetary gain. Serenity and all fan-made characters in this story (c) Violet Whirlwind. 


	2. Chapter 2: Beginnings

A Sense of Serenity

By Violet Whirlwind

Chapter 2: Beginnings

That evening, back at the same clearing the pre-marriage party was held in the day before, another celebration was taking place. The scene was very similar to that of the day before, with one major difference: the grinning azure hero now had a crown on his head. The linked rings rested on a velvet-cushioned pedestal between him and Sally, now wearing her own crown.

Something orange darted behind the tree the new king was lounging against. Tails glanced out nervously, casting furtive glances into the assembled crowd.

"Hey, big guy, whatsa matter? Want a chili dog?"

"N-no thanks..." the fox trailed off, glancing again into the crowd.

"Suit yourself, more for me." the hedgehog popped said chili dog into his mouth. "Why're you so jittery, 'lil buddy?" he asked after swallowing.

"I-it's her, she looked at me, I just know it!" Tails indicated the same gray fox from the balcony earlier that day.

"So why don't you go talk to her?"

"Are you kidding? I caught the bouquet, remember!"

"And?"

"That means I'll be the next one to get married!" the fox said in a frightened whisper.

"Oh come on, that's just a story. 'Sides, I bet it only works with girls." Sonic caught the strange glance Sally gave him. "What?"

The ground squirrel didn't answer. Instead, she turned to the nervous two-tailed fox. "I'm sure you'll do fine. Go ahead."

"Well...Okay, Aunt Sally." he said, still using the childhood phrase. Tails gulped. "Wish me luck!" he turned back toward the crowd.

"Good luck, big guy. You'll do fine!" Sonic gave him a thumb's-up.

* * *

Tails made his way haltingly through the crowds of celebrants, his eyes on only one. The pretty young gray fox was standing unobtrusively by the buffet table. However, as Tails got closer, he could see she was actually standing _behind_ the table. He had no idea why, and at the moment discovering the reason was farthest from his mind. He was having trouble just putting one foot in front of the other. He wished he'd never left the safety of his friend's tree... 

Before he knew it, he was there, in front of the long, food-covered bench. Tails looked at the ground, bashful. "Uh, h-hi." he squeaked, looking up, anxiety thick in his voice.

"Hi yourself." she said softly, moving slightly behind a tree, as if hiding something.

"I, uh, think you're, uh..."Tails trailed off. His tongue suddenly felt extremely dry and sticky. He abruptly blurted out the first word that came to mind. "...Tall." Tails made a face and gazed at the ground again, biting his lip nervously. _Tall? Of all the epithets...cute, lovely, pretty, beautiful...tall? Oh man, she's gonna hate me! _Tails felt his twin tails twisting together in anxious agitation. He tried to hold them still, kicking a pebble around in the dirt in embarrassment.

To the self-conscious kitsune's complete astonishment, the gray vixen laughed. Not the cruel, deriding laughter Tails had been half expecting in response to his nervous blunderings; it was more of a bubbly happy sound. "Tall? Hee hee! Well, I guess to you I would be, wouldn't I? Oh, come on, I didn't mean it that way!" she said, noticing his ears, pink with embarrassment.

He looked up, an expression of half hope, half helplessness on his childlike features. "You mean, you don't think I...? I didn't offend you, did I?"

"Not at all! Come on, don't look so embarrassed! It makes you look too cute! And I don't mean...well what I mean is..." Now _she _looked embarrassed. "But you _are_ cute...But not in a childish...well...You're cute." She finished, blushing as well.

"You mean..."

"In a mature sort of way...Aren't you Tails?"

"Y-yeah."

"I'm Laura. Laura the Gray Fox." She extended a velvety-black paw. "I'm from a village on the other side of the Great Forest."

Tails took the proffered hand tentatively, a bemused look on his face.

The two foxes spent several hours just talking, as if they were old friends finally reunited after many years apart...

"C'mon!" Tails said suddenly and somewhat childishly, tugging gently on Laura's hand. "I want you to meet my friends!"

The gray fox looked distinctly uncomfortable. "Well, I...I really shouldn't...I mean, I can't."

"Why not?"

"They won't accept me."

"Of course they will!"

"But I'm different."

"I'm different, too!" Tails motioned to his twin dorsal appendages. "They accepted me, I'm sure they wouldn't have any problem with you."

"N-no...You don't understand..." Laura stepped timidly out from behind her tree. Galvanized steel glinted in the dappled sunlight, and Tails understood.

"Oh, I'm sorry."

The gray fox turned away and stepped behind her tree again. "I'm a freak..." She began sobbing softly, her metal legs and tail shining like a beacon of judgment.

"No your not! Please, just follow me. I'm sure nobody will mind."

"N-no, I should just stay here where nobody notices my-deformity."

Tails sighed. He knew someone his new friend just _had _to meet...But he was reluctant to leave her alone. He gulped and decided to take a bold step. "I don't think you're deformed. I-I think you're beautiful!"

Laura looked at him incredulously. "Really? Or are you just saying that?" She sniffled, mumbling, "That monster...I'll never be beautiful, and it's all his fault!"

"But Robotnik's dead! And you _are_ beautiful! Please, just come with me and you'll see!"

"Well..." The gray fox looked skeptical, but reluctantly agreed. "Okaaay...But I still think they'll laugh at me..."

He pulled her to her chrome feet, and led her back toward the party. Laura hesitated somewhat when Tails brought her into the sunlight, then balked outright when she discovered where he was taking her: straight toward the new king and queen. "Wait! You didn't say we were going to see the Blue One! I'm really not worth it! Please!" And she twisted her arm free and stepped back into the shadows.

Tails looked at her, bewildered. "But Sonic's my friend. He'd never say anything bad about you!" It took some persuading, but Tails finally coaxed Laura back into the light and toward his friends. He heaved a silent sigh of relief to see Bunnie there, engaged in pleasant conversation with her fellow ex-Freedom Fighters. "Hey guys! I want to introduce someone to you...This is Laura."

"Uh...good evening, your highnesses." she said, bowing awkwardly. "I know I don't deserve the pleasure of making your acquaintances -Oh!" She had noticed Bunnie. "Forgive me, ma'am, but aren't you...I mean..." Laura was blushing deeply now. "I'm sorry. I, of all Mobians should know not to mention...Oops! Sorry."

The tawny, cybernetic rabbit was now approaching. Tails whispered something in one of her long ears. "Of coarse, sugah-Tails." she whispered back. Bunnie turned to the extremely embarrassed gray fox. "Honey, come ovah heah and sit with me. We need to have a little heart-to-heart." she said kindly, leading Laura to a secluded spot.

"What was that all about, big guy?"

"Uh...Well..."

"Never mind. That's yer girlfriend, huh?"

"Uh..."

"Good choice." Sonic grinned as his sidekick blushed.

* * *

Later that evening, Laura strode proudly back into the clearing, a changed fox. Tails wondered what Bunnie had told her. Laura explained. "She told me my - uh - limbs weren't a deformity at all. That Bunnie is really quite remarkable! Did she really use her robotic parts to help in the fight for freedom?" 

"Yup."

"Wow. I never thought...Well, anyway, she told me not to be ashamed of my legs and tail...that they were an asset; a token of the bravery it takes to live through such a traumatic event as I have..." the vixen trailed off pensively. "Bunnie really opened my eyes about the whole thing, though I had a hard time believing her at first." She sighed. "I always thought I was a freak that nobody would want to be around...My sister and I tended to stay out of village business...lived our lives alone in our little hut...You're really lucky to have such nice friends, Tails!" The conversation trailed off after that, as an expectant silence filled the clearing. Throughout the meadow, animals stopped talking and watched the darkened sky in excited anticipation.

The lights at the reception party were dimmed as the fireworks started, launched from a platform set up in the middle of a nearby lake. Any live sparks that landed would go safely into the water and not the trees. There was a chorus of "Ooh's" and "Ahh's" as the multi-colored blooms filled the sky, commemorating the planet's freedom from the tyrant who had plagued it for years.

"Wow! Look at that one! It's beautiful!" Laura pointed skyward.

"Not as beautiful as you." The blush in Tails' ears was masked by the darkness.

"You're sweet," Laura said. The partially robotisized gray fox leaned over and kissed the surprised kitsune on the cheek.

His blush deepened. "Uh, thanks." he said bashfully. Tails looked back at his best friend for encouragement. Sonic grinned and gave him a thumb's up, his arm around his bride. The two-tailed fox turned back around, tentatively putting his arm around Laura's waist as the two leaned against each other, watching the aerial celebration in blissful surrender.

"Watch this," the blue hedgehog said, "At the end of the finale..." he trailed off cryptically as blooms began exploding in the sky in rapid succession.

There was a thunderous crack as a scene was depicted in the sky. A cityscape reminiscent of Robotropolis appeared, exploding outward several seconds later in bursts of red, yellow, and orange. "It's not done yet. Keep watchin. I'm tellin ya, the best part's yet to come..." The hedgehog's grin was audible. Out of the center of the reds, oranges, and yellows appeared a splash of blue and brownish-red that resolved itself into a rough facsimile of the newlyweds' marriage kiss. This was followed by two linked golden rings and a waving image of the Mobian World Flag, accompanied by the Mobian Freedom Song, "Freedom Fighters Forever." Deafening applause filled the meadow as creatures both young and old celebrated the liberation of their world and the marriage of their new king and queen. It was the beginning of an era most Mobians had dreamt of for years...an age of peace.

* * *

Disclaimer: Sonic the Hedgehog and all associated official characters (c) SEGA/Archie/Dic. Used without permission but not for monetary gain. Serenity and all fan-made characters in this story (c) Violet Whirlwind. 


	3. Chapter 3: Future’s Promise

A Sense of Serenity

By Violet Whirlwind

Chapter 3: Future's Promise

A gust of polar wind howled through Knothole, searching for any creature unfortunate enough to be caught out in the storm. Nothing moved in the secluded valley. Every creature was safe in their homes, warmed by cozy fires and surrounded by family and friends. Winter had a firm grip on the Great Forest and its inhabitants, causing a general feeling of reticence and sedateness. It was the eve of the Winter Solstice, and every creature celebrated by taking it easy and staying inside with friends and family. Well, almost every creature...

Sonic sat up abruptly, awakened from a light nap on the couch in the main room of the hollow stump he and Sally called home. Ears straining, he listened. There it was again. A whimper issued from the bedroom where an extremely large-bellied Sally slept fitfully. The Blue Blur was instantly on his feet and beside her a moment later, hovering concernedly. "Sal?" he whispered, reaching a hand out tentatively before withdrawing again. "You okay?" Sally slept on, mumbling and turning over. The hedgehog sighed, moving to the window. _Get a grip. She's fine. But...It's just this baby...I'm way past nervous!_ He sighed again and returned to the couch. Several minutes later he started pacing about the room, unable to sleep. _It could come any time now...Man, I am sooo not ready for this!_

A soft knock at the door nearly caused the cobalt hero to leap out of his spines. Whirling, he faced the door, ready to defend his mate from imaginary foes. "Sonic?" He relaxed at the familiar voice of his best friend. He opened the door, sucking in a breath at the coldness of the wind.

"Tails, what are you doin out in that storm! It's freezing!"

"I couldn't sleep. Laura's visiting her sister, and I was gettin lonely." The fox looked absently at the ring on his left hand as he entered. "I still - It's hard to believe we're gonna be married in the spring!" The kitsune turned and contributed his weight as the two friends shoved the resisting door closed, shutting out the frigid, screaming wind.

"Hey, I know how ya feel. Trust me, you'll get used to it. At least you don't haveta deal with bein made king!"

"I guess the bouquet thing really did work!"

Sonic snorted. "That's just superstition! I still say it was a coincidence." The hedgehog suddenly remembered his mate, asleep in the other room, and looked contritely in her direction. _Still asleep. Good. I'd hate to wake her in her condition..._

Tails followed his gaze. "She's okay, right?"

"Oh yeah. Just tired. That baby's due any day now..." Sonic trailed off, looking lovingly in the direction of the dozing ground squirrel. "I just hope it ain't tonight. There'd be no way to get her to Dr. Quack's in this storm, even with my speed. I-" His next statement was cut off by another knock at the door.

"Good evening, Your Highness. I am truly sorry to disturb you this late at night and in such a dreadful storm..." The newcomer bowed, her large, spotted, tawny ears almost brushing the ground.

"Please, it's just Sonic. I don't care for that title and honorific stuff. Ain't you that new resident...?"

"Only temporarily, good sir." The serval's golden eyes sparkled. From far south in the Mysterious Cat Country, she had come north as part of a delegation of dignitaries and ambassadors. When she had heard of Queen Sally's pregnancy, she had voluntarily stayed behind, explaining that she was skilled as a midwife, and could help with the baby. "I was awoken by a strangeness in the air and thought I should check on Her Royal Highness." The strange feline was also rumored to have amazing precognitive abilities. "How is she, if I might ask?"

"S-sal's fine, just restin." The hedgehog was taken slightly aback by the sudden appearance of the mystic wildcat.

"If I may..."

"S-sure. C'mon in." Sonic quirked an eyebrow quizzically, exchanging glances with his two-tailed friend, who shrugged. "Uh, what's yer name, anyway?"

The mysterious serval floated in, moving with surprising grace and fluidity. "I am called Prophecy, the Mystic Serval. Forever at your service, good King." Sonic just rolled his eyes at the reminder of his title, and followed her into the room in which Sally was resting. The ground squirrel was awake and smiling tranquilly at her three visitors.

"Sal?"

"I'm fine, Dear." She smiled at Prophecy. "Hello."

The serval bowed again. "It is quite an honor to be your midwife, Your Highness. How are you feeling?"

"I'm doing okay, honestly. There _is_ a slight pain in my belly - Ohh!" The Queen's eyes grew wide. "I think - eyaaaaghhhh!"

Prophecy took Sally's hand as the squirrel was forced to squeeze her eyes shut. "It is time, Your Highness." the serval said, her eyes growing misty.

Sonic was instantly on his feet and hovering concernedly. "Sal? Do you need anythin? Should I go get Dr. Quack?" He paused to think for a minute. "Yeah, that's what I'll do...Be right back, Sal! Tails, would'ya wait here and get Prophecy whatever she needs?"

"Sure thing, Sonic."

"Sal, I'll be right back. Hang in there!" That said, he darted out the door and into the biting wind.

* * *

Though the wind howled and moaned around him, driving snow and sleet deep within his sapphire quills and chilling him to his swiftly beating heart, Sonic felt calmer out here. Safer. Out in this storm, he could concentrate on the task he'd set for himself: getting to the hut of the resident healer as fast as he could. Of coarse, he _knew _he could get there and back before the child was born; there was no doubt about _that_. However, this gale presented him with an interesting challenge that he could put all his effort into mastering, thus saving himself from the uneasiness that had been plaguing him inside his stump all night. 

He pounded his fist on the door of the clinic. "Yo, Dr. Quack! You in there!"

Yawning, the goldenrod-colored avian came to the door, rubbing sleepily at his eyes. "Not so loud, Sonic..." he said, pointing in the direction of the adjoining hut that housed the medic and his family. "You'll wake the kids...What is it?" He'd caught the anxious look in the hero's eyes. "Is it time? Is Sally...?"

"Yeah. C'mon!"

"Hold on, Your Highness." The duck said, evading a grasping, gloved hand. "I won't be any help without my stuff. Wait here, please." With that, he disappeared into the house, leaving the nervous father-to-be pacing in the hospital part of the hut. "...And please don't pace in my clinic!" the duck added as an afterthought.

"Hurry!" the hedgehog called after the medical mallard, not slowing a step of his pacing.

Several minutes later, the bird was back, clutching his medical bag and throwing on his white lab coat. "OK, I'm read-ieeee!" he squeaked as he was yanked out the door by the speeding 'hog. "Warn me when you're going to do that!" the duck said, rather breathlessly, when they arrived back at the stump a few minutes later, Sally's screaming rising above the cacophony of the winter blizzard. They entered the house in time to see a slightly flustered looking Tails staggering under a basin of steaming water.

"How is she, Lil' Buddy?"

"Dunno," the fox said, somewhat breathlessly. "Prophecy keeps me busy fetchin her hot water."

"Here, let me help you with that. Don't want you to throw your back out." The sandy-colored duck took hold of one end of the tub and helped the staggering vulpine carry it toward the bedroom. "How is our new midwife doing?"

"Okay, I guess. I...I think she knows what she's doing...but...her eyes have gone all weird." Tails finished in a whisper as they entered the room where Sally was grasping convulsively at the arm of her mate.

"It's okay, honey, I'm here-Oww! Uh, Sal, your fingernails are digging into my arm."

"S-sorry..." The ground squirrel managed, releasing the blue hero's arm. Sonic began rubbing his bruise absently. Sally's screams abated somewhat, the contractions slowing, giving her a much needed respite. Silence spread through the room; the only sounds were the heavy breathing of a very tired ground squirrel and Prophecy's incoherent mutterings.

Suddenly, the serval turned from her medicines, her normally tawny fur gleaming golden as the rays of the summer sun, her graying headfur now a blinding silver as she floated several feet above the floor. She addressed the assembled Mobians in a far-off, otherworldly voice, her eyes a swirling mass of greenish-gold glitter. "Friends and goodbeasts all...Hear me and heed the words of Prophecy, Mystic Serval, Speaker for the Spirits of the Elements and the Great Mother Mobius Herself." It was clear this was not merely Prophecy herself speaking. Some higher power was making itself and it's message known to the four animals gathered around the mysterious wildcat.

"_When forthright shines / __The Heart pure gold/ __Swiftly flows the royal blood/ __On violet feet that fly like wings._

_From a soul True Blue / __The Promised One shall spring/ __Clad in shades of brilliant lemon and purple/ __Her eyes so bright they put the sky to shame. / __Emblazoned upon her arm /__The Rainbow Mark of Truth._

_In the wake of loss most tragic/ __The way to Freedom shall she lead. / T__hrough days of dark despair, a light shines forth/ __A blazing ray of hope and glory._

_Arise! Challenge those who / __Threaten your throne/ __Though enemies may destroy / __That which you value most/ __Fight back! Show them what it means. / __All those who choose the darkened path,_

_Beware the Ultraviolet Flash!"_

Her message complete, the serval drifted gently back to the floor, her fur and eyes resuming their normal hues. She stood there blinking in bewilderment for several minutes.

"Ooookay...That was weird..." Sonic said, voicing the approximate thoughts of each animal in the room.

"Oh dear..." said Prophecy, slowly coming out of her daze. "I did it again, didn't I?"

"Quite alright. We understand that your gift takes you when it will. I-eyaaaaghhhh! Here we...go again!" Sally managed to pant out as another contraction began.

"Push, Your Highness, push and breathe." Prophecy was back at her task, helping the laboring squirrel to bring her child into the world. "Push, breathe...push, breathe...push, breathe..."

* * *

After what seemed like hours, the door to the bedroom was opened, to the accompaniment of a newborn's caterwauling. Sonic and his ever-faithful companion had been exiled to the main living quarters of the stump to allow the doctor and midwife more room to work. "Sonic, come meet-" 

Almost as soon as the door was opened, the cobalt 'hog was instantly beside his mate, once again hovering concernedly. He smiled down at the bright-purple infant, a hedgehog like himself.

"Aww..." Tails was heard commenting.

"Like I was saying," continued Dr. Quack, "Sonic, meet your new daughter."

"D-daughter?" The hero echoed dumbly. He had truthfully been expecting a son. "Oh...right. Daughter." He recovered quickly, the grin never leaving his face as he tenderly brushed aside the shock of still-soft spines that fell across the infant's sealed eyelids. Sonic looked up at his smiling wife. "You okay, Sal?"

"I'm fine, honey." Sally said, yawning. "Just tired." She looked down at her baby. "Isn't she beautiful?"

"Yeah..." The new father said, dazedly grinning at his child, her new fists pawing at the air. The baby yawned suddenly and quieted, drifting into sleep.

"Her eyes should open in about a week. Y'know, the oddest thing happened at the instant she entered the world." Dr. Quack said, removing his gloves. "I noticed that the storm out there died down immediately after her first cry."

"'Tis a sign. Of what I do not know." added Prophecy, ignoring Sonic's derisive snort at the mention of omens.

"Look at this." Sally said softly, gently caressing a curious birthmark on the infant's left arm. "The Rainbow Mark of Truth?" the squirrel mused, echoing the line of Prophecy's mysterious prophecy. There was a bright ring of rainbow fur encircling the newborn princess's upper left arm, just below her shoulder. The baby sighed in her sleep, prompting a sigh from her mother.

"What are you gonna name her?" Tails broke in.

"Well, we had a few ideas, but none seemed to work. I liked Alicia, my mother's name, for a girl, but Sonic didn't really seem to care for it much. So we just decided to leave it and see what came to mind. I still like Alicia."

"I don't. Not for MY daughter. She's gotta have something, well, you know, unique!"

"Well, I can see we aren't going to agree on anything tonight. Let's just leave it for tomorrow." Sally yawned, gazing fondly down at the child. "She looks so serene, doesn't she?"

"YOU look serene, too, Sal." Suddenly, the azure hedgehog snapped his fingers. "I've got it!" he exclaimed softly. "The perfect name!"

Sally quirked an eyebrow. "I'm listening."

"Serenity!"

Sally looked at her mate. "That's the best idea you've come up with yet."

"I try."

"Alright. It's settled, then. We'll call her Serenity. Serenity Alicia."

Sonic sighed. "Fine."

"Princess Serenity Alicia Acorn..."

"Hedgehog."

Sally sighed. "Yes, of _course. _Princess Serenity Alicia Acorn Hedgehog." Sally locked eyes with her mate, slightly annoyed, though the loving look he gave her and the child instantly melted the exasperation. "I love you, Sonic."

"Likewise, Sal."

The two new parents simultaneously gazed out the window as Dr. Quack, Tails, and Prophecy exited the stump, the excitement over for the night. The snow was falling soft and silent; the storm had abated. In the east, the sky had begun to lighten. A new year was beginning, a year heralded by the birth of the planet's future ruler. Both parents had high hopes. A child born the morning of the Winter Solstice was said to herald years of peace...and serenity.

* * *

Disclaimer: Sonic the Hedgehog and all associated official characters (c) SEGA/Archie/Dic. Used without permission but not for monetary gain. Serenity and all fan-made characters in this story (c) Violet Whirlwind. 


	4. Chapter 4: First Light

A Sense of Serenity

By Violet Whirlwind

Chapter 4: First Light

One week passed. Then two. The infant still hadn't opened her eyes. The lids were still sealed tightly. Sonic was starting to get a little worried. _Quack said they'd open in a week. They're not._

"Relax, honey. You can't rush nature, you know." Sally said as her mate peered anxiously at the child for the fifth time in ten minutes. "Have some patience."

"But…what if they never open? Is my daughter gonna be blind her whole life!"

"You're cute when you're worried."

"I'm not worried."

"Yes you are."

"Well…I wanna see my daughter's eyes!"

"Patience, Sonic."

"Patience ain't my thing."

"Well then, you'll just have to learn it, won't you? Now calm down; you'll agitate her."

"Da."

"Huh!" The azure 'hog's eyes opened wide. "Did she just-"

"Da!"

"Heh…She called me Da…Sal, she called me Da!"

"Yes, I heard. See, she's okay. She knows you already, even without her eyes."

Sonic picked up Serenity, grinning bemusedly as he rocked her. "Yes…that's right…who's your Da, huh?" he cooed.

"DA!" A small purple hand shot out and grabbed the blue hedgehog's nose. "Da!"

"Yebs, I'b ybor Dba. Serebity, pleabs let go ob Dbabdy's bose…"

Sally giggled, "She seems to have a bit of your attitude, honey." The ground squirrel reached out and gently uncurled her infant daughter's fingers.

Sonic returned the child to her mother, rubbing at his snout. "Oww…"

"Daaaa…Dadadadada…"

* * *

Several days later, Prophecy appeared suddenly beside the new parents, holding a fussing Serenity. The serval had volunteered to act as a nanny to the young princess when her parents were busy with affairs of state. Sally looked up from examining a holographic image presented by her hand-held computer, Nicole. Though the war was over, every now and then a problem related to it would crop back up. The ground squirrel had been discussing with her semi-sentient computer what to do about a lake that was known to have recently had radioactive sediments disturbed from its bottom. 

Sonic was instantly beside Prophecy. He retrieved his daughter and tried to calm her. Serenity wouldn't be calmed. The hero-turned-king sent a helpless glance first to his mate – who was approaching, a concerned look on her face – then to the Mystic Serval beside him.

"Prophecy, what's wrong?" Sally asked, trying to keep the worry out of her voice.

The wildcat gave the worried couple a knowing smile. "Why, don't you know? There's generally some pain involved when an infant's eyes first open. It's a very natural thing, you know."

"Her eyes are openin! That's great! … Well, what d'we do? I can't stand seein her like this!" the worried father exclaimed, still trying to soothe the child.

"Not much you can do, aside from putting a cold compress on her eyes and keeping her as comfortable as possible. Her lids will probably separate fully within the next couple hours, but you should still keep the compress on for two to three hours after that, to minimize the swelling. I suggest you keep her fairly close by throughout the day."

"Of coarse we will. Thank you, Prophecy." Sally took over holding the baby for a while as Prophecy placed a wet cloth across the purple hedgehog's eyes.

* * *

Two hours passed. The infant Serenity woke loudly from a nap. "Waaaahhh…!" 

Sally gently removed the compress, re-moistening it. One of the child's eyes was open. The other one, distressingly, was still sealed as tightly as it had been when Prophecy brought the infant to her parents. _It'll open. In time, it'll open. _Sally tried to reassure herself as she replaced the cloth.

Another hour later, the other eye opened. Sort of. The lid seemed to be stuck halfway down the infant princess's right eye. When either parent inquired of Prophecy, the serval simply shrugged and said, "Have faith, Your Highness. It will open."

The next day, when Sally removed the cloth, gazing lovingly at her child, Serenity gazed right back, both of her large sapphire eyes open and brightly shining. The baby 'hog was once again happy and free of pain.

"How is she?"

"See for yourself, Sonic." The ground squirrel said softly, depositing their daughter in her father's arms.

"Da!" the baby said, happily gurgling as she gazed for the first time at her proud father.

"Yes…Da's here." he said, grinning. "Sal, she's got your eyes." he said softly.

"Maybe. Y'know, her eye color could change. It often does during a child's first couple of months. Not that that would matter anyway. She's beautiful just the way she is."

"Of course she is. I just…I mean…Aw, forget it."

* * *

Disclaimer: Sonic the Hedgehog and all associated official characters (c) SEGA/Archie/Dic. Used without permission but not for monetary gain. Serenity and all fan-made characters in this story (c) Violet Whirlwind. 


	5. Chapter 5: Little Whirlwind

A Sense of Serenity

By Violet Whirlwind

Chapter 5: Little Whirlwind

Years passed. The young princess grew into a happy, energetic child. _Extremely_ energetic.

All was quiet in Knothole as the sun crept above the sheltering crown of trees bordering the little village. Most of the populace was still asleep this early in the morning, and those who were awake spent the early hours quietly, reluctant to disturb the serenity of the new spring day. _Most_ of them.

Within the stump home of the royal family of Mobius, a pair of sparkling sapphire eyes peered cautiously into the still dark master bedroom, filled with mischievous intent. She giggled softly at her father's snoring as she backed up, her tiny tail a blur of violet motion. Stifling another giggle, she launched herself…

"Hee!"

Sonic was jarred out of a pleasant dream by the sudden impact of a plum-colored bullet to his chest. His eyes shot open as he wheezed, trying to recover his breath. The blue hedgehog found himself staring into a pair of intent, azure eyes, framed by a spiky purple face. The young princess was dressed in her usual yellow midriff-tank-top, cut-off jeans shorts, and some slightly tattered tennis shoes…already ready for a full day of fun.

"Daddy!"

He stifled a sneeze as the plum forelock hanging down from between the face's perky ears tickled his nose. Coughing, Sonic sat up, brushing his daughter's forelock back affectionately as he plucked her off of his chest and set her down nearby. "Reni, Sweetie, why do ya always haveta do that to yer poor Daddy?" He coughed again, "Ya coulda given me a heart attack!" he said, grinning.

"Daddy, c'mon! Let's go! Daddydaddydaddydaddy…" Serenity tugged on her father's ears impatiently.

"Hey, oww! Come on, Sweetie, let go of Daddy's ears! …Please?" Sonic reluctantly let himself be coerced out of bed.

"Daddy, come on!"

"Shh… Ren, you don't wanna wake up your mom, doya?" he countered.

Sally was already awake, but she feigned slumber, smiling to herself.

Sonic leaned down, continuing in a conspiratorial whisper as he put his shoes on, "She could make you do chores…Heck, she could make ME do chores!"

Serenity giggled as her father dodged a flying pillow.

"Uh oh," the blue hedgehog whispered. "She's awake. C'mon…Ally-oop!" He lifted the young princess onto his shoulders. "I think we'd better run for it." With that, he raced out of the stump, Serenity giggling on his shoulders as she tugged at his ears. They stopped in the nearby meadow. Sonic set his daughter on the ground. "So…whatcha wanna do today, Plumcake?"

"RACE! Raceraceracerace!"

Sonic laughed at the enthusiasm in the six-year-old Serenity's voice. "Okay, but I'm gonna win!"

"No yer not, I'M gonna win!"

"We'll see…Okay, you wanna race, eh? How about…to that tree and back?" He pointed to a pine tree halfway across the meadow.

Serenity shook her head. "Not far 'nough."

"Not far enough, eh?" Sonic thought for a minute. "Well…how 'bout that rock near the tree line?"

"Nuh-uh. Farther."

"Farther? Well what'd ya have in mind, Ren?" The hero-king threw up his arms in mock annoyance.

The child's grin was smug. "Ring pool." she announced proudly.

"The ring pool? Are ya sure yer ready for that, Plumcake?"

"Uh-huh."

"Well…Okay. Ring pool it is then. Mark…set - I'm still gonna win, y'know -"

"Notta chance, Daddy!"

"GO!"

Leaves, pebbles, and dust flew up behind them as father and daughter rocketed forward, matched stride for stride. As the small lake that was their finish line came into view, the six-year-old princess began to tire, falling back. Sonic saw and consciously but imperceptibly slowed down. Serenity stopped at the edge of the pool, panting slightly as her father stopped merely a toe behind her.

"Well, what d'ya know, you DID win!" He tried to act surprised.

Serenity rounded on him, cobalt eyes flashing angrily. "You LET me!"

"Well, I-"

"You let me win! I wanna win by myself!" Reni sat on a log, lip trembling. "I wanna do it myself!" A single tear dropped into the water at her feet. The young violet-colored hedgehog brushed impatiently at her eyes. "I wanna be fast like you, Daddy."

Sonic's grin fell off his face as he sat beside her. "You are, Princess, you are."

Serenity sniffed. "No I'm not. Not AS fast."

"You just have to give it time, Sweetie. You'll grow into your speed, I know you will. You'd have won, but you just got tired."

"Why? Why'd I get tired? You NEVER get tired! An' you said you were runnin fast at five. Why can't I? I'm six!"

"Come here." Sonic took his daughter onto his lap. "You are fast. You just need to practice a bit. I had more reason and chances to practice when I was growin up. I also had more to lose if I messed up. We were fightin for our lives back then. I hadta learn how to protect everybody, mess up Ro-butt-nik's plans, _and_ not get myself caught. You don't know how relieved your mom and I are that you don't haveta live in hiding like we did. Take it easy. Practice, but don't beat yerself up about it when you think you coulda done better. Yer young…and free…try to enjoy it. Understand?"

Serenity looked up at him, not quite able to comprehend all of his words. "Not really."

Sonic hugged his daughter tenderly. "You will. Maybe not now, but someday."

"Daddy?"

"Yeah?"

"Wanna race again?"

"I'll win, y'know."

"Yeah, right. _I'm _gonna win, and this time without you lettin me!"

"Ha! Fat chance!"

"I will!"

"Wanna bet?"

"No…just race."

Sonic laughed, taking off, his daughter right behind him.

* * *

The day proved to be a pleasantly warm one. Sonic lounged indolently against a huge oak tree. He watched as his daughter darted here and there and everywhere, sticking her little black nose into every hole and hollow she came across, chasing butterflies across the meadow and bouncing off tree trunks. Sonic sighed as he closed his eyes. There was probably some onerous royal task he should be attending to, but it just felt too good sitting in the shade and being lazy for a change. His ear flicked idly. He removed the crown and scratched at his head. Man, that thing could really be annoying. He set the crown on the ground beside him and was about to close his eyes again, when suddenly… 

"Daddy! Watch me!" Serenity backed up and raced right toward the tree her father was lying under.

Sonic sat up, startled. "Whoa! Ren, what areya-" The hyperactive princess shot straight up the trunk. Her father sat there blinking for a moment. "Reni? What…" The branches above his head rustled, and a pair of bright blue eyes peered down at him.

"Pretty neat, huh?"

"Wha…Where'd you learn that!"

"From you." came the smug reply.

"Heh. 'Coarse ya did…Sweetie, please come down…"

"Okay." Serenity dropped straight out of the tree, landing on her father's belly.

"Oooof. I didn't mean _that_ way!" Sonic coughed, trying to get his breath back…which was difficult to do with a small child sitting directly on his diaphragm. "I really wish you'd stop dropping in on me like that — cough, cough…"

"Sorry, Daddy…But didya see me? Didya see what I did?"

"How could I _not_ see?"

"I ran up the tree! That means I'm gonna be like you, right?"

"You already are, you little rascal!" The cobalt hedgehog ruffled his daughter's headspines affectionately.

There was a sudden rustle, and an agitated orange fox flew out of some nearby bushes, looking extremely worried. "Sonic, am I ever glad I found you!" Tails breathed in relief, flitting about nervously.

"Huh? What is it?"

"It's Laura…she's…well…there's no time to explain…C'mon!"

"Okay, I think I get it. Hold up a sec…" Sonic stooped to pick up his daughter, placing her on his shoulders and scooping up his crown as an afterthought.

"Hiya, Uncle Tails!"

The flying fox managed to send off a quick, anxious smile to the bright-eyed young princess before resuming his nervous airborne pacing as they made their way to the hospital hut. Upon entering, a hectic scene met the trio's eyes. Prophecy was busy going in and out of the operating room, carrying towels and other items. From time to time, loud grunts and painful shouts were heard from behind the double doors.

"I thought as much." the blue speedster commented after observing the scene. "So…just needed a friend, eh?"

Tails nodded, wringing his hands.

"I've been there. Relax, Lil' Buddy. I'm sure it'll turn out fine." Sonic plopped himself down in a chair in the waiting room, lounging, unconcerned.

"But…she…Sally didn't scream that much, did she?"

"Well…no…"

"Daddy…What's goin on?"

"You know how Aunt Laura's had a big tummy lately?"

"Uh huh…"

"Umm…" _How do I explain this to her? Should I just be blunt? _"Well, she's going to have a baby."

Serenity seemed to consider this for a couple minutes. "So…that means I'm gonna have a playmate?"

"Well, yes…in a couple years, maybe…You can't play with babies when they're first born…They're too…uhh…new."

"Oh…okay…Hey Uncle Tails?"

"Uhh…yeah?"

"Is it gonna be a boy or a girl?"

"We…don't know yet…" Suddenly, there was a monumental scream from the operating room, and Tails was hovering by the small window, trying to see inside. The receptionist calmly asked him to sit down. He did so, nervously twirling his two tails together. Prophecy rushed by with an IV, and the concerned kitsune jumped back up again. "Prophecy, what's wrong? Is she okay? Please say Laura's okay…"

The serval simply looked at him with a sad expression on her face, before rushing into the operating room.

"Something's wrong! I just know it! Oh, what do I do?"

"Sit down and don't panic." The receptionist replied calmly, not looking up from her desk.

"I'm sure she's fine, bud. Just relax."

Serenity saw the worry that appeared to be consuming her beloved Uncle Tails, and clambered into his lap, hugging the kitsune. "Ever'thing's gonna be okay, Uncle Tails, I know it. Don't worry." She said, curling up in his lap.

Despite his anxiety, Tails was forced to smile, and patted Reni on her plum head, whispering, "Thank you…"

Sonic just tried to hide his grin.

* * *

About fifteen minutes later, Doctor Quack emerged from the operating room to find a purple hedgehog curled up in the lap of the formerly agitated kitsune. Both were now asleep. The duck raised an eyebrow in the direction of the lounging king. 

He shrugged. "She tends to have that effect on him."

"Cute. However…I need to talk to him…" the duck gently touched Tails on the shoulder, rousing him. "Tails…I need to speak with you…"

Serenity yawned and clambered into her father's lap, where she promptly fell asleep again as Tails followed Doctor Quack down the hallway.

"Tails…I have some good news, and some bad. The bad news first…I'm sorry…Laura didn't survive the birth…"

"What! Noooo…" The kitsune seemed to lose all use of his legs, as he collapsed to the floor, hands shielding his tear-wet face from the world. How cruel of the Mother to deprive him of his one true love!

"I'm sorry. We think it was the heavy metals in her blood…Her heart wasn't strong enough to bring two kits into the world."

"T-two?"

"That's right, Tails, you're a father of twins."

"Two…"

Shortly thereafter, the yellow duck led the three waiting mobians in to look at Tails and Laura's newborn twins in their incubators, their eyes sealed shut from the newness of life. Both kits had their father's double tails.

"A boy and a girl. Laura wanted him named after you." Quack pointed to the orange fox kit. He did indeed look like his father, the only differences being the darker orange arms and legs, black-tipped ears, a shock of gray fur on the infant's head, and black rings around his two tails between the orange and the creamy patches…

"O-okay…" Tails was still somewhat stunned by the recent path his life had suddenly taken.

"Tails Jr. it is then. Now, what about her?" the avian medic pointed through the glass viewing window at the other baby kitsune, her gray fur a painful reminder for Tails of his loss. The infant's small forelock was a bright auburn color, and the rest of her gray fur had hints of orange throughout.

"I…don't know…"

Serenity was leaping about excitedly, jumping up to see beyond the glass. Her father gently lifted her so she could see. "Cool. Now I'll have two new friends!"

Tails looked at the youngster thoughtfully. "Yes…yes I DO know what I'll call her…" He looked up at his best friend. "Since your daughter's named Serenity, I think I'll call mine Peace."

"A good choice…" Quack steered them toward the exit. "You can come back again tomorrow…"

Sonic put a comforting hand on his grieving friend's shoulder. "Laura would have been proud…"

"But…How will I raise them…without…her…?"

"You'll do fine…"

"I…guess…"

* * *

Disclaimer: Sonic the Hedgehog and all associated official characters (c) SEGA/Archie/Dic. Used without permission but not for monetary gain. Serenity and all fan-made characters in this story (c) Violet Whirlwind. 


	6. Chapter 6: Growing Pains

A Sense of Serenity

By Violet Whirlwind

Chapter 6: Growing Pains

"AGAIN! TELL IT AGAIN!"

"Shh…Ren…Not so loud…especially not so loud _in my ear!"_ Sonic winced, twisting his finger inside his left ear as his daughter, now twelve years old – and hyper as ever – pranced about excitedly. Her two best friends, the six-year-old Tails twins, shadowed her every move.

Wherever the trio went in the hidden village, they caused smiles on the faces of the townscreatures. Every mobian that remembered the days of the coup remembered the way the fathers of the three youngsters used to act almost the same way.

"Yeah, Uncle Sonic, tell it again…"

"Please?" All three children chorused in unison, their eager eyes on the smirking king.

He caught the look Sally shot him. "What can I say, kids just love hearing me tell the stories."

"Yeah, but you are giving them the wrong idea about the war. Kids, it wasn't nearly as all fun and games as he makes it sound…A lot of mobians were irreversibly changed…Some of us never came back at all…"

"C'mon Sal, you make it all dreary and doom-and-gloomish…" the cobalt king elbowed his queen playfully in the ribs. "Anyway…So there I was…surrounded by…had to be about fifty SWATbots…"

Sally sighed, rolling her eyes. "It was fif_teen_…"

Sonic shot her a mock glare, "Who's telling this story? As I was saying…"

The children's eager young eyes were glued on the smirking blue hedgehog's face, hanging on his every word.

One of Serenity's ears swiveled backward suddenly, torn unwillingly away from her father's tale by a slight whimper. At the slightly louder repetition of the sound, she reluctantly turned her full attention toward whatever-it-was.

What she saw appalled her. With a quick, "'Scuse me, Daddy…" She was on her feet and instantly at the scene of the crime. Hands on hips, she cleared her throat. "Ahem…"

"Oh…h-hi

princess…S-sorry to interrupt tha s-story…" A rather brawny young rabbit stammered uncomfortably, trying to hide something…or someone…a scrawny rat child glared shiftily at the world from beside him.

"Never mind that…I heard cryin…who you torturin this time, huh?"

"Oh…nobody…important."

"You know what I think 'bout bullies…" Reni looked absently at her nails, "Now c'mon…don't make me get heroic on ya…who're ya pesterin?"

Reluctantly, the bullies stepped aside, revealing a quivering white…well, Serenity wasn't quite sure of the species. She walked over and helped the girl up, glaring at the bullies as she helped the young mobian walk. "Lissen up…"she said, glaring at the bullies, "Don't let me catch you tormentin anyone ever again, or you won't get off as easily next time, 'kay?"

The bullies nodded and scattered.

Serenity turned to the rather embarrassed-looking white creature, trying not to appear to notice the smell that was now coming from her. _That explains the species…_"You okay?"

"Y-yeah…thanks…" The skunk adjusted her pink dress. "I knew I shoulda stayed in the woods…"

"Nonsense. C'mon and meet my friends!"

"You mean you don't mind my…"

"Hey…You can't choose yer species. I just try to keep those idiots in line. You can be my friend if you want. The name's Serenity, but just call me Reni."

"F-friend?"

"Yeah. Come meet my Daddy! What's yer name, anyway?"

"S-snowdrift."

"Well…Welcome to the gang, Snowdrift…mind if I call you Drifter?"

"No…I…guess not…I've never had any friends before…"

"Sheesh! Where have ya been? It's easy to get friends here…"

"They called me Stinky Girl…"

"Oh, don't pay any attention to those two idiots back there…Hard ta believe that brute is Bunnie's kid…Yer not stinky…"

"But I…"

"Nevermind…Meet my daddy…He's the greatest!"

Sonic winked. "Hiya!"

The ten-year-old skunk's eyes grew round. "Wow…Sonic's your DAD!"

Reni puffed out her chest. "Yup!"

"Wow…I…"

"C'mon, sit with us and listen to Daddy's story! These two are my best friends, TJ and Peace, Uncle Tails' kids…they're twins."

The two kitsunes waved happily.

The albino skunk suddenly glanced around nervously. "I…can't. I live in the forest with my grandpa…I just came to deliver something…I havta get back!"

"Aww…do ya really have to?"

"Yeah…Grandpa keeps a tight schedule." Serenity looked at her strangely. "It was nice meeting you…" Snowdrift called over her shoulder as she disappeared into the trees.

"Wait! Could you come back and play sometime?"

"I…dunno…Maybe…"

Serenity watched the tree line for a time after the white skunk vanished into it. Shrugging, she turned her full attention back to her father, who was grinning at her. "Playin hero again, eh? That's my girl…" _Just be glad you don't have to do more than put a bunch of bullies straight…_He reached out to ruffle her spines affectionately before returning to the story. "…So…There I was…surrounded by about fifty SWATbots…"

* * *

Elsewhere, a door was heard slamming shut, a half-robotisized grey fox left standing outside forlornly, metallic shoulders drooping as her bushy grey tail blew about in the breeze. "Come on, Tails, please let me in…" 

"No!" came the half-sobbed response. "Please…leave me alone."

"But…It's been six years! You shouldn't still be grieving!"

The kitsune poked a tear-wet face out of his dwelling. "Who are you to say what I should or shouldn't be doing? Sure, she was your sister, but…I…I can't just marry you like that! I…I understand your tradition, but I…I wasn't raised with that belief. In Knothole, we marry when both creatures love each other equally. We don't…I mean, it isn't our custom to marry a relative when a mate dies…" His eyes met those of this new gray fox, and filled with immense pain and grief all over again. He turned away to hide the refreshed tears.

"But…It's to honor her that I come to be your new bride!"

"Please…Liana…even the sight of you gives me pain…You…You look so much like her…" He half-closed the door again, this time more gently. "Just…Just leave me alone…I can't accept your offer…"

"But…What about the children? They'll need a mother's loving care…"

"I can do that…What makes you think I can't!" He rounded on her again, face tortured.

"I'm just saying–"

"Just…Just go away, okay? I…I'm just not ready for this…this kind of commitment again…Not when…well…I…just…_please_…go away…" he finished in a small voice, closing the door, a bit gentler this time.

* * *

"Don't wolf your food, sweetie, you'll choke." 

Serenity managed the slightest of acknowledging glances to her mother over her plate, piled high with _way_ too many pizza slices, before continuing her ravenous munching.

"Reni, slow down! This is not how a princess is supposed to act during dinner!" Sally admonished in irritation.

Between slices, the young purple hedgehog mumbled something that might have been an apology, muffled by chewing. "Can't 'elp it. It's pizza." she said matter-of-factly after swallowing, as if that was a perfectly reasonable reason for a lack of etiquette.

Queen Sally rolled her eyes, and turned to her king for help. Sonic shrugged and launched himself at another plate of his chilidogs. Sally sighed and threw her arms up in the air in exasperation. "You're no help. I can see where she gets her _impeccable_ manners." Serenity and Sonic gave simultaneous guilty grins. Father and daughter both consciously tried to curb their rudeness while maintaining their rate of consumption.

After the meal was finished, Serenity immediately began cavorting around, asking her father to tell the stories again. Naturally, he obliged her, glad for a chance to again bask in his past glories.

"You are soooo cool, Daddy…I wish I coulda been a freedom fighter…" Serenity mused wistfully. "You had all the fun…"

The cocky grin on the hero-king's face faded as Sally shot him a look. Sonic placed his hands on his daughters shoulders, "Plumcake, your mother and I think there's something you need to see…"

* * *

"Why'd we have to come _here?_ There's hardly anythin but buildings an' streets, an'…stuff. An' they're _ugly_ buildings an' streets…Where's the trees? Where's the flowers an' rocks?" 

"Come on, Sweetie, it's not like you've never been to downtown Mobotropolis before."

"Not _here,_ Mom. Downtown isn't nearly this spooky an' ugly!"

"Well, she's got you there, eh Sal?"

"You're a LOT of help, Sonic!" Sally said, rolling her eyes. "It's around here somewhere…"

"Mom, I'm bored. Where are we going anyway?" Serenity said petulantly, crossing her arms.

"Just a minute…Ahhh…Here we are!" The ground squirrel pointed across the street to a building that had once been one of Robotnik's factories.

Serenity looked up…and wrinkled her nose in distaste. "You took us to a museum!" She turned back toward where the twins were hovering and made a gagging expression, one finger pointing down her throat. They giggled. She turned back to her parents. "Mom, I got MUCH more important things to do today…Like practicin my run…No time for a stuffy ol' museum!"

"You like the stories your father tells you, don't you?"

"Yeah, but…that's DIFFERENT!"

Sally smiled cryptically. "Hm. Not _that_ different. Just humor us on this one, okay, Sweetie? We need to show you what really happened."

"Hmph! Oh, okay fine. If it's THAT kind of a museum I guess I can handle it."

* * *

Despite her initial bellyaching about the museum, Serenity actually enjoyed it quite a bit, marveling at the artifacts from the era that had become known as the Years of Darkness by some. She saw it as a chance to imagine herself in her father's shoes, and ran around pretending to be smashing the deactivated robots and various machines, much to her mother's chagrin. 

"Aww, coooool! Daddy, these the things you were always bashin?"

"Yup!"

Sally sighed. _Great. This WAS my idea…_"Serenity, honey, please come back. You might break something! This IS a museum, you know, not a place for your active imagination to run wild…You're making our tour guide nervous!"

Serenity, as hyper as she was, still had the sense to not cause grief for her parents in a public setting, so she obediently came back. She tried to keep herself, and her imagination, under control for the rest of the tour. She knew her parents were trying to get something important across to her by this trip, but she was far too excited about all the sights and objects from the time of the freedom fights to try and figure it out.

"Now, as you follow me into the next room," the tour guide was saying, as Serenity strained to see past him and the closed steel doors behind him, "You will see the object of torture that…Your Highness, please be patient and wait for my speech to end…As I was saying, this is the device that has put fear in the hearts of most children that come here…" the guide said, pointedly looking at the undeterred princess that was trying to squeeze past him. Sally reached out and pulled her daughter back by the tail, keeping a firm hold on her, much to the relief of the guide.

Serenity didn't hear much of what the tour guide was saying as the doors opened to reveal… "OH COOOOL!" The young princess said, squirming out of her mother's grasp and darting past the sputtering guide, her two best friends following. Disregarding the decorative museum rope that was supposed to keep little children _back, _she squirmed underneath it and placed her small purple hands right up against the glass tube, looking at it in wonder.

Upon entering, Sally put a hand up to her forehead, groaning. This was not going AT ALL how she'd planned it…

Before either of her parents or the guide could stop her, the irrepressible purple hedgehog princess had opened the glass door and scrambled inside, marveling at being so close to the very last of the infamous instrument of torture on the planet. It gave her such a rush of excitement that she didn't think about the possible consequences. This was amazing! She was actually inside the feared robotisizer! And it wasn't hurting her! (Okay, so it was not attached to a power source, so it couldn't hurt her, but…that wasn't the point!) "Look guys, I'm in the 'Botsizer! Teehee!"

"Reni! Get out of there, now!"

But she didn't hear the panic edging her mother's voice. "Hey, Teej, close the door! Hee hee!"

"Reni, I don't think…" Peace started. The kitsune was only six, but she still had a bad feeling about this… "That looks really dangerous…I…I think you shou' come out…"

"Mmm…Didn't miss anything, did I? I saw a snack bar." Sonic waltzed in, licking chili sauce off of his face. He suddenly looked up, saw his daughter in the robotisizer, and his instincts automatically took over. "Reni! Get out of there!" Without thinking, he smashed the glass containing the insanely giggling Serenity, scooped her up, and deposited her beside her scowling mother.

The young princess looked from one face to the other, her mother glaring and tapping her foot; her father with a somewhat anxious look on his face, as he tried to get his heavy breathing under control. Reni looked at the floor, and in a small voice, said, "I'm in trouble, aren't I?"

"I'm sorry to end the tour so abruptly, sir…" Sally said, turning to the tour guide, "But we're going home." She looked pointedly at her cowering daughter. "Now."

"Yup…I'm in trouble, alright…" Reni muttered to herself, trying to slink away and disappear. Unfortunately, her mother once again had a firm grip on her small tail.

* * *

Back in Knothole, Serenity made her way quietly to her room, crawling under her bed. She felt terrible. It was one thing to annoy her mother…But to make her father angry…her father – whom she respected and adored – she had let him down; embarrassed him in front of everybody in the room! She began to cry quietly, the remorse for her thoughtless actions at the museum escaping to the floor with each tear that fell from her eyes. 

"Reni."

She sniffed. Not wanting to face him after…that, she didn't say anything, just stayed under her bed, sobbing.

"Reni, honey, I'm not mad." There was a sudden weight above her as he sat on her bed. "Please come out of…wherever it is you're hiding."

"You…You're not?" A small spiky purple head emerged, looking up at her father with pitiful liquid sapphire eyes.

"How could I be? After all my stories, we shoulda realized you'd act like that after seeing it in person. I really did over romanticize the war, you know that?"

Was _he_ actually apologizing to _her, _when she was the one that had caused the scene? "Daddy…I…I'm sorry…I shouldna…" She said, emerging the rest of the way. She stood there, looking at her feet, suddenly unable to meet his eyes.

"Shh…C'mere. Don't cry. The only reason we took you there was to give you a better idea of what it was _really_ like to live during the freedom-fighting days. Obviously, it didn't exactly work."

"Sorry…" she said, climbing into his lap.

"No. Don't apologize. I should be the one apologizing. I made you think it was all fun and games to fight Robotnik. Truth is, it wasn't. I made it seem like all our missions were successful and glorious. We lost about as many as we won, you know that?"

"But…You were always so brave…I wanted to see what it was like…"

"Yeah, sure I was brave. I had to be. But one thing I never told you…I was often scared, too. And when I saw you in that…that…" His eyebrows knitted for a minute or two, before he was back to comforting his child. "Well, anyway, I just reacted. That was kinda how I lived those missions, you know, just reacting when I thought someone I cared about was in danger. Sal always warned me that it was better to plan, but I always thought it better to 'think on my feet.' That caused me to start to be hasty…the way I was today."

"But…I shouldna gone into that thing…right?"

"Well, yeah, but…I think they shoulda destroyed it anyway. The thing is still real…and therefore, still dangerous, even though I know it wasn't plugged in. I tried to get them to destroy it when they found it, but they insisted on putting it in their Freedom Fighter Museum. I said, 'Build a fake.' But they wouldn't have any part of it. They wanted authenticity. I still think the world would be better off if they did get rid of it…"

"But…you're the king…can't you order them to have it destroyed? If you really think it's that important…"

"It's not that simple, Plumcake. I…I don't like ordering people around…it's not my style…" he said, as if that would explain everything.

"But…"

"However, I do think Sally's right. You DO need to know what really happened…without me always glorifying it." His grin was crooked. "I think we could arrange for a video presentation…that might work out better for you than the museum idea…"

* * *

It was a documentary. The video showed all the various side-effects of the Freedom Fighter's war on Robotnik, including the efforts being taken to reclaim the areas of pollution scattered over the entire planet. It showed recovered surveillance video from Robotnik's own collection of the prison cells where condemned mobians waited their turn at the robotisizer, surveillance of the robotization process in action – complete with the screams of pain from the victims, video from the factories where the resulting robians were forced to slave their lives away, and various videos from the villain's attempts to ruin the lives or murder the mobian resistance leaders (Including several death traps evaded at the last minute by Reni's revered father…some of which had left him not exactly in one piece.) The documentary also included several eye witness accounts of atrocities preformed, documentation of children left orphaned and alone when their parents were taken away, and interviews of robians who had regained their free will (and half-robians who had escaped before the process was complete) who spoke of the horrors of the robotisizer's effects. 

At one point during the video, Tails' twins were escorted out of the room when the action got too intense for them, but Reni refused to leave, saying, in a surprisingly mature way, that she had to see all of what the video contained. After it was finished, she got up and went to the shelter of her father's arms.

"I'm sorry, honey, but…"

"I know, Daddy…I hadta see it…You didn't tell me you were ever hurt on those missions…"

"Heh…Who wants to hear about _those_ times? You always wanted to hear stories of the war, and I liked to tell them…but only the ones where I was the shining hero you wanted me to be…" Sonic grinned, somewhat self-consciously.

* * *

Deep in the middle of the Great Forest, several miles from Knothole, there was a secluded cabin. It was home to a reclusive old healer and his young granddaughter. The youngster's parents had abandoned her on his doorstep at an early age, ashamed by her alleged 'deformity.' The grizzled old spotted skunk snorted. Just because Snowdrift, as he'd come to call her, was not the color of a 'normal' skunk, didn't mean she was 'deformed.' He'd taken her in, but he'd also made it clear to her that if she were to live with him, she'd have to earn her keep, mainly by being his connection to the rest of the world by running his errands for him. He was far too busy to waste time taking things into town himself, so he sent a willing Snowdrift on his messenger duties instead. 

The front door banged shut. _Ah…here she is now…_he thought to himself.

"Granddad! You'll never guess who I met in the city today!" To Snowdrift, who had hardly ever been anywhere else, Knothole was a large city. "It was like…there were these bullies, and…"

"Shh…Snow, not now dear. I'm busy."

"Aww…Yer always busy…"

"Look Snowy, honey, if you've got some new friend in town…"

"I won't let it distract me from my duties, I swear!"

"That's not what I was going to say." The old spotted skunk sighed, "I have to keep an eye on my patients…to make sure they're okay…"

"I know. But…Granddad…Those two scare me…They…They're not…right...somehow…"

"Now, Snowdrift, just because they don't look like us doesn't mean they're evil…I would have thought you'd know that by now…after your parents abandoned you because you were different…Did that affect the way I treated you?"

"Well…no…"

"Then I suggest you don't judge them just on the fact that they are overlanders, okay?"

The young albino skunk looked up at her grandfather. "Okay…but…I…Nevermind." _I just don't trust them, especially that big one…he's got a scary look in 'is eyes…even though 'es in a coma…his eyes still scare me…"_

"Why don't you run along and play with yer new friend, okay? I have work to do."

"Okay!" Her fear of the two strangers in her grandfather's intensive care unit forgotten, she ran back the way she had come, her bright pink eyes shining at being with her new friends again so soon.

* * *

Chapter 7 coming soon...

* * *

Disclaimer: Sonic the Hedgehog and all associated official characters (c) SEGA/Archie/Dic. Used without permission but not for monetary gain. Serenity and all fan-made characters in this story (c) Violet Whirlwind. 


	7. Chapter 7: Rite of Passage

A Sense of Serenity

By Violet Whirlwind

Chapter 7: Rite of Passage

"You LET me win…AGAIN!" Serenity whined as her father crossed the finish line several seconds behind her. "I wanna win on my OWN!" The eighteen-year-old purple hedgehog sighed and plopped down on the grass under one of the Great Forest's huge trees. "I wanna do it myself…without you always slowing up for me…" She wiped impatiently at a tear. "I'll never be as good as you, Daddy…" _Come to think of it...I seemed a lot slower than I usually am...have I completely lost what speed I had! _She thought worriedly to herself.

"Reni…Plumcake…I'm sure someday you'll come into your own…" Sonic sat down next to his frustrated daughter, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Serenity snorted. "Huh. Yeah, right…You were routinely beating 'Butt-nik by sixteen…I can't even go as fast as you when I'm eighteen! And I've been practicing nearly all my life! Will I ever be as good as you?" Her eyes showed a heart-wrenching discouragement. "I don't even have anythin to take my frustrations out on! I mean, it's good that I don't have to fight for my freedom like you did, but…I just feel so useless…And I'm not very good at being a princess either."

"In other words, you feel like you're living in my shadow, is that it?"

"NO!...Well, yeah…I guess that's it. How can I ever prove that I'd be as good as you are if I got nothin to fight against…or for?"

Sonic sighed. "I…" He didn't really feel he had any real way of reassuring her.

"I just feel so useless…What can I do that you can't do better, Daddy?" Serenity sighed heavily, drawing patterns in the dirt with a plum finger.

"You can swim, can't you?"

Reni snorted. "Yeah…but not that well…I only learned because you and Mom insisted that I learn for my own good. I never really liked the lessons…I never really liked the water, for that matter."

"Yeah, I remember…You used to splash around like crazy…"

Reni's grin was crooked. "Remember when I panicked and pulled you in?"

Her father put on a face of mock horror, his hands in front of his face. "Oh no! Not that again!"

Reni smirked and repeated what she had said during that first swimming lesson, pantomiming her panicky younger self, "No! Please! Not the water! Splash! Splash! Daddy!" She grabbed at her father's shoe.

"Ahh!" He made floundering motions. They both ended up 'crawling out and panting on the shore,' laughing.

Serenity sighed and looked at her father. "I still wish I was able to do more…"

"It'll come, in time."

"Sure it will…"

"You're almost as fast as me!"

"Huh…Almost doesn't count…I wish…" Suddenly, she felt strangely ill. "Daddy…I…don't feel too good…Think I'll go lie down…"

* * *

Serenity was worried. She hadn't ever felt this bad before. It was like someone had tied a knot in her insides…and there was a gross…squishy…feeling down--She got up and ran to the bathroom, knocking her mother and Prophecy over in the process. 

"Serenity Alicia, what have I told you about running in the house!"

"S-sorry Mom…I'll fix whatever I broke later, there's somethin' wrong with me…" she apologized distractedly, disappearing into the hut's bathroom.

Sally exchanged glances with Prophecy. "Do you think…?"

The Mystic Serval gave the ground squirrel a knowing smile. "Yes."

Suddenly there was a panicky squeal from the bathroom. "Aaaaahhhh! MOOOOM! Help me!"

The purple hedgehog's sapphire eyes were wide with fright as she let her mother into the bathroom. Serenity grabbed the ground squirrel's hand, desperately pleading, "Mom…w-what's happening to me? I'm bleedin…"

"Shh…It's nothing to worry about. It took a bit longer than we thought, and we were worried you might actually turn out to be sterile when it still hadn't happened on you last birthday…"

"What are you talking about…!"

"Relax, Reni. It's perfectly normal. All girls get this…yours just didn't come when we expected it to…"

"Huh?" Serenity was by now very confused.

Sally tossed her daughter a strange pad and made for the door. "Put on some new underwear and that pad and then come and see me. "We need to have a little talk…"

* * *

"WHAT! You mean I'll have to deal with this for TWO WHOLE WEEKS!" Serenity's mouth hung open. She collapsed, groaning on her bed. "Great…Just great…" 

"Yes, but it only happens every two months…"

"Great…Just great…I HAD to be a girl…" She grumbled as her mother left her room, placing a bottle of pain killers on Serenity's bed table.

"Take these if those cramps become too much…" _No wonder she's been so moody lately…_

Just when Serenity thought it couldn't get any worse, a caterwaul sounded down the hallway, in her parents' room. _Oh no..._She groaned and threw a pillow over her head. _Not now, Alcor...not now...That baby just HAS to start cryin when I want some peace and quiet...An with MY luck...he'll grow up to have no problem with HIS speed..._She groaned, and squeezed the pillow hard over her head, trying to muffle out the sounds of her one-year-old baby brother's howling.

* * *

"It is time, your Majesty…" 

"Hmm…yes…I know…"

"You're mind is troubled?" It was stated like a question, but Prophecy's green-gold eyes bespoke a deeper understanding of the queen's pensiveness than a normal Mobian might sense.

"You KNOW she's not going to like it…" Sally said quietly, sighing as she stared at Serenity's closed bedroom door.

"But you said it yourself…It is the custom…"

"True…But she's never liked official royal parties…and from her reaction a few hours ago…" Sally trailed off.

Prophecy raised a knowing eyebrow but said nothing

"However…We can't just call of the Gateway Ceremony because she doesn't feel like it…" All the guests HAD already been invited…The ground squirrel exchanged glances with the Mystic Serval and proceeded to her daughter's door. Knocking on the rustic-looking wood the door was made from, she took a deep breath, waiting for the customary answering yowl of annoyance. "Serenity…"

At first there was nothing. After a second knock, Sally heard a groan from within.

"Go 'way…" Reni grumbled miserably. "I ain't in the mood to see anyone right now…"

"Reni…"

No response.

"Reni…Honey…It's your mother…Mind if I come in?"

No response.

"Ok, I'm coming in anyway…I'd like to talk to you about something…"

A groan. Then silence. Then shifting noises were heard from within. "…Whatever." Reni finally said as her mother entered. "Whadoya want, Mom? Can't you just leave me alone with my misery?" Serenity was curled up, her knees protecting her belly, her face scrunched up in pain and annoyance.

"Reni…Sweetie…I know how you feel…I went through the same thing…But…" Sally sat on the bed beside her groaning daughter. "Now that it has happened…Well…" The squirrel honestly didn't know how to break the news to her rather irritated daughter. She didn't know how Serenity would take it. "It is customary…when a girl gets her first Blessing…"

"Blessing!" Serenity snorted sarcastically. "This is NO blessing, mother…It's more like a CURSE!"

"Well…I can't really argue with you on that…but…It doesn't change the fact…"

"What! Would you just get to the point already? I'm waiiiiiiiting!" The purple hedgehog was trying unsuccessfully to combat her annoyance by using one of the many sayings she'd picked up from her father.

"Reni…There's going to be a…little get-together tomorrow night to celebrate your coming of age…"

"A…party…to celebrate _THIS!" _Serenity winced.

"That's right."

"But…I don' feel like it." The purple hedgehog groaned again and rolled over, facing away from her mother, her quills grabbing the bedcover and pulling it over her. Irritably, she ripped the blanket off, leaving some quills in it. She winced again slightly.

"Plumcake, I'm afraid you don't have a choice. It's tradition."

"I ain't goin." Serenity said stubbornly, but her voice didn't hold much force. "Jus' leave me alone."

"I'll leave, but you still have to go." Sally said kindly but just as stubbornly.

Reni's only retort was a pained groan.

* * *

There was a knock on Reni's door that evening. "What?" she said, growling slightly. 

"Aren't you coming down to dinner?" Her mother called through the doorway. "We got your favorite, pizza."

"I'm not hungry. Jus' leave me alone."

Sally was surprised by this. Usually, if someone even whispered the word 'pizza,' Serenity would come running, even from halfway across the village. "You sure, sweetie?"

"Yeah. Just leave me be…"

The squirrel turned away from the door heading back down the hallway. She called over her shoulder, "If you change your mind, it'll still be there waiting for you, though it may be cold."

"Uh-huh…whatever…"

Later that evening, the sound of shuffling could be heard in the hallway. Serenity stumbled into view, looking drawn out and pained. She looked furtively toward the kitchen.

Sally smiled. "I knew you'd change your mind. Your dinner is in the coldbox. You'll have to warm it up. We thought you'd be down sooner, but you weren't, so we had to put it away so Muttski wouldn't get it. It would do his circuits no good, but he still thinks like a normal dog, you know."

Reni nodded distractedly, gave the robotic dog a few pats on the head and wandered into the kitchen, trying hard not to clutch at her stomach as she got the pizza out and threw a slice in her mouth without warming it up. The robodog followed her, wagging his metallic tail and looking at her expectantly.

"Sorry, Muttz…not for you." She said, putting the rest of the pizza away and patting the dog on his chrome head before plodding back up the rustic steps to her room on the stump-house's second story. The roboticized dog followed her and lay down protectively at the foot of her canopied bed as she resumed her fetal position on it.

* * *

"Come on, Reni. Don't be difficult…." Sally cajoled from outside the closed door of her daughter's room. "We're waiting."

"Hey! That's MY line!"

The ground squirrel's lip twitched slightly. "Even so…It can't be _that_ bad, now can it?"

There was a snort from within. "YES it can…I look so STUPID!"

"I'm sure you look fine, dear…just come out, please?"

"NO! I said a long time ago I'd never be caught dead in a dress and I MEANT it….This thing CHAFES, man…!"

"Serenity…"

"NO! I'm NOT commin out wearin this big ol' thing, an' that's that! Why I even have to go to this party is beyond me! Why can't I just suffer this two-week torture session in peace?"

"But…it's tradition…"

"Aww…fergit tradition! I'm NOT goin!"

"Serenity Alicia Acorn Hedgehog…if you don't open this door now, I will be forced to deprive you of the pizza at the party, and then for any after that for a WEEK!"

There was silence for several minutes inside the room after this threat. Then a heavy sigh was heard from within, and the door began to open slowly. "Fine…you win…I'll go. But I'm tellin you right now, I WON'T enjoy it. And WHY do I have to wear such a frilly monstrosity, anyway? And DON'T say its tradition… Did you say there was going to be pizza?" Serenity emerged from the room, wearing a large frilly yellow dress and with her quills tied up in many lemon-colored ribbons. Her face was almost fuchsia with embarrassment, and her eyes glittered with a pent up rage that she was finding difficult to suppress. Her ears pinned back against her head, the purple hedgehog grumbled, "Don't just stand there laughin at me…let's just get this Gateway-Ball-whatever-the-heck-it-is over with so I can get OUT of this thing! I swear I'm DYIN in it!" She waved a hand in front of her face, panting exaggeratedly.

Trying to hide their smiles, Sally and Prophecy guided Reni down the stairs. The purple hedgehog cursed under her breath each time she tripped over the dainty, high-heeled shoes she was forced to wear for the occasion. Despite the ample dress, Serenity felt naked without her normal white-and-yellow shoes. But…they WERE getting fairly worn out…again…and wouldn't really work well with what she was wearing. "Dang lousy…high…heels…gonna make me lose what speed I had when I sprain my ankles by wearin em…." She muttered as she was escorted to a palanquin. She groaned when she saw it. _Oh GREAT…it just keeps getting better, don't it?_ "Look, it's not like I'm getting MARRIED or anything, can't I just run there?" _Yeah…RIGHT…in THESE shoes? You gotta be kidding!_

"Oh Reni…it's just for one night. Can't you humor me on this, please?" Her mother asked, brushing back Reni's errant forelock, which, despite all attempts to tame it, refused to stay in her hair – er, quill – do.

Reni just sighed and plopped herself down in the chair. _I could get there MUCH faster on my own…not that I'd want to…_

"Your father's already there to escort you into the palace…"

"Heh, what else is new?" Serenity quipped, trying unsuccessfully to lighten her mood. _He'll probably laugh at my do…and I wouldn' blame 'im…I look SOOOOO STUPID!_

But, of course, he didn't. He just put a hand on her shoulder and said gently, "How's my little Whirlwind? You look beautiful."

"Way past annoyed." And then her blush deepened. "No I don't. I look majorly DUMB! I hate dresses! And I hate bein a princess even MORE!" She gave an exasperated sigh. "Oh Daddy, can't you get me out of this party thing? I wanna go home an' change back into NORMAL clothes!

"Heh. I hear ya there. They made me wear my wedding tux for this…Knew I shoulda got rid of that thing. Don' worry, Ren, You'll do fine!" Sonic winked at his annoyed and embarrassed daughter.

"Yeah right. I can't even sneak out later to take a run…they made me leave my shoes at home! At least YOU still get to WEAR yours… What's this thing supposed to be about, anyway? It can't just be a celebration of…" She trailed off, embarrassed about talking about that particular subject with her father. "…girl stuff." She finished awkwardly.

"Uhhh…You'll have to ask your mother about that."

"I DID. All she said was, 'You'll find out.' and gave me this cryptic little annoying smile!"

By that time they had reached the palace ballroom. Fanfare was played as the royal father and daughter entered and made their way down through the isle formed by guests that had parted to let them through, bowing, as the Royal Herald announced their arrival.

_Good grief…They really went all out with this, didn't they?...Just my luck…_Serenity thought darkly to herself. _Please, oh please, Great Mother Mobius don't let my friends be here to see me in this THING!_

As she made her way into the expansive ballroom and toward the elaborately decorated throne that sat beside her parents she could see that her wish had indeed gone unheeded. There were the twins, flying enthusiastically toward her, with Snowdrift the albino skunk not far behind. Serenity groaned softly. _Kill me now._ She sank into the specially-draped throne, ears drooping in mortification. She slouched far down in the immense chair unhappily. _Can it GET any worse…No wait…I should know by now never to say that…_She was beginning to think that all the bad luck on the planet had an unnatural attraction to her. _Please let this be over soon… _

_

* * *

_

"Serenity, sit up. Think of the public image you're giving to your future subjects!"

The purple hedgehog rolled her eyes. _When did Mom get here?…I didn't even notice when she came in!_ Grumbling, she complied, hiding her face unconsciously with her hand. _It's been what…two HOURS? And STILL nothin's goin on! Other than the fact that they keep letting people in…GEEZ…did they invite the entire population of Mobius to this shindig!_ She fidgeted. _Something happen…SOON! PUH-leese…!_

He mother then prompted her to stand as a young hedgehog bowed before her, and she was expected to curtsey in return. He was introduced to her as the crown prince of the small kingdom of Mercia. "Pleased to meet thy acquaintance, yon beautiful miss!" He said eloquently in the type of arcane Mobian Standard that was customary to Mercia, kissing Reni's hand before bowing and stepping back into the crowd. Reni rolled her eyes irritably at his formalities.

As the youngster retreated into the crowd, he was heard nervously asking his father, a teal-colored hedgehog wearing a brown hood over his quills, "Father…Dids't I say sommat wrongeth? She dids't not look too pleased with me."

"Nay." Rob O' replied. "Thou dids't nothing wrong, my son. Yon splendid princess must have sommat else on her noble young mind. Mind it not, youngling."

Reni overheard some of the peculiarly worded conversation and mentally chided herself. It wasn't the kid's fault he had that accent, after all. It was just this…this DRESS! It was driving her mad. And she had never had much tact in official occasions like this.

As the night wore on and more youths – some nobility, some royalty from obscure little kingdoms outside the Acorn Kingdom, and some just from normal families – appeared to greet her, Serenity began to get a little annoyed…and suspicious. After what seemed like the two-thousand-and-fifty-third young male mobian was introduced, she turned on her mother, ears pinned back, and quietly exploded. "You…What are you trying to do? Marry me off!" She hissed.

"Reni…."

"NO! Answer me! Is this just some way of ensuring that the monarchy continues! I'm not ready for that! You hear me! If I was ready for love I would have somebody in mind already!"

"Oh, Reni…that's not what this is all about…it's just…everyone wants to meet you! And this was the best opportunity for that…But…I assure you, honey, there's more to this event than that…We're just waiting for the priest to get here."

"P-priest!" Serenity squeaked. "What do I need one of them for! For cryin out loud, this ain't a marriage!"

"Ah…but you have been extraordinarily blessed by the Mother, young'un…we need the proper authority…" Prophecy cut in, resting a wrinkled but surprisingly strong hand on the nervous young hedgehog's shoulder.

"B-but…YOU'RE here, Aunt Prophecy, isn't that enough? I want to get this OVER with…whatever it is! You guys still won't tell me what EXACTLY'S goin on here!"

Prophecy just smiled cryptically, "You will find out soon." and said no more on the subject. Serenity sent a searching glare toward each of her parents, but they just smiled and said nothing.

"Arrrrraaagggghhh!"

* * *

The ancient priest finally arrived, leaning heavily on a walker and going even slower than he had at Serenity's parents wedding. The purple hedgehog heard her father remark softly, "Huh. That old fella's still around, eh?" genuine surprise in his voice. To her, he winked. "Good luck keeping patience with 'im, Ren…he's like molasses."

Serenity groaned. "Great."

Sonic's lip twitched. "Heh. Know what ya mean."

Prophecy stood up, motioning to Serenity to follow her, handing her a paper bag in the process. The purple hedgehog could feel something inside it, but Prophecy told her not to get curious about it, and that all would become clear in time.

The two of them followed the old black-and-white colored buck out the ballroom door and back to the palanquin. Serenity looked over her shoulder to see if her parents were coming too. They weren't. She wished they were. She wished her friends were here…or anybody other than the two elders she was reluctantly following. She must have expressed her wishes…or Prophecy had read her mind…for the mystic wildcat gave her another of her infuriatingly cryptic smiles and said, "No, they are not here. This is something that you need experience on your own."

Reni grumbled. "Do you ever NOT speak in riddles?"

Prophecy's mouth simply twitched. "Prophecies work in mysterious ways, you know."

Serenity rolled her eyes. "What's THAT supposed to mean?"

"You will see."

"Arrraaghh! Would you quit saying that!"

Prophecy motioned for silence as they entered the temple. Serenity gave a start. _The TEMPLE! Why are we HERE!_ She didn't even bother speaking that thought out loud, knowing what Prophecy was likely to say.

The priest, now behind the alter, motioned Serenity forward, taking the bag from her hand and placing it in the depression in the middle of the stone. He nodded to Prophecy.

"Your Highness, please undress for the ceremonial bath."

"**_WHAT!"_** Serenity exclaimed, mouth open, aghast.

Unperturbed, Prophecy guided her in the direction of a waiting basin.

"What…but…you have to be _KIDDING!"_

"I've bathed you many times before when you were young, it shouldn't be that big a deal." Prophecy said serenely.

Serenity sputtered, balking. "But…the priest…he…" She looked behind her. The deer was nowhere to be seen. Sighing, Reni capitulated, glad to be rid of the dress, but dreading putting it on again. As she stepped into the bath, she involuntarily drew in a breath. "This water is **COLD!"**

Prophecy went about her business, bathing the complaining purple hedgehog. "It's supposed to be." she said mysteriously.

"But…WHY?"

"Tradition."

Reni mumbled something about how dumb tradition was, but remained silent throughout the rest of the bath, pouting somewhat and shivering.

What seemed like an hour later, she emerged, dripping and miserable, her fur hanging loose and wet about her and making her look somewhat like a short-tailed spiky rat. She gave herself one disgusted look in the mirror and then proceeded to shake herself free of the water, spraying Prophecy in the process. The serval winced, like all cats, she was not happy about the water; however, she had grown accustomed to it from caring for Reni throughout her young life. Therefore, she said nothing, handing the purple hedgehog a towel.

Reni took one glance at the towel and shook her head. "You know how hard it is to get those things off of quills? I'll cope with wet fur, thank you." That said, she shook herself again and reluctantly allowed herself to be dressed in, not the dress as she'd expected, but a ceremonial robe she jokingly referred to as a "ceremonial _bath_robe."

Prophecy then led the still-dripping Serenity back to the alter stone. The purple hedgehog was fighting the urge to shake the water off again, at the same time clutching at the opening of the robe, paranoia making her make sure it was closed sufficiently as the priest waddled and shuffled back to the alter, still in his walker.

"Hurry up, bub, and get this ceremony done with…I want to get home before tomorrow…" She muttered under her breath, paying no attention to Prophecy elbowing her for quiet.

For all the preparations, and despite all the ritual oils and lotions the Mystic Serval had rubbed on her – which only served to make Serenity sneeze and feel uncomfortably greasy – the ceremony itself was deceptively short. The ancient hart priest mumbled several strange words and suddenly Prophecy was imbued with the same spirit of the planet that had taken her at the moment before Reni's birth. The plum-colored hedgehog had heard the peculiar riddle that Prophecy had foretold at her birth before, but not like _this! _This time it was from the Mystic Serval's own mouth again, and Serenity got the full effect of the wildcat's prophetic ways.

As Prophecy returned to normal, Serenity stared bemusedly at the beloved rainbow-colored birthmark on her upper left arm with renewed awe toward it. _Is that true? Am I REALLY the Promised One? But…What can I DO? There's no more threat to the planet and us…Robotnik is dead…right?_ Suddenly, she was starting to doubt even that truth though. '_In the wake of loss most tragic…_' What the heck was THAT supposed to mean?

_Though enemies may destroy_

_That which you value most…_

Those two lines had her worried as well.

"Come, Promised One…" Serenity was forced back to the present as Prophecy tapped her on the elbow, indicating she should step forward. Gulping, she did so. The ancient ungulate behind the alter abruptly plucked a quill from her head.

"What the…! OWW!" She exclaimed. "What'dya do that for!" she said, rubbing her head where the quill had previously been.

"Highness…Shhh…We know what we're doing…" he whispered to her, unperturbed by her outburst. The old deer reverently placed the quill on top of the bag, which had been doused in something that smelled like…Instinctively she stepped back. The priest lit a match – also reverently – and dropped it just as reverently. At the same time, all three of them leapt backwards.

The three mobians instinctively shielded their eyes from the abrupt heat and light generated from the spontaneously ignited bundle on the alter. As she gazed into the rapidly-dying flames, Serenity thought she saw…no, it couldn't be…she didn't really believe in visions and omens…but still…

The scene her eyes made her think she saw in the flames was reminiscent of the stories she'd heard as a child of the days of the beginning of the war. But…instead of seeing a five-year-old version of her father fleeing the ravages of a burning city…she saw herself…

"Highness?" The priest said kindly, tapping the purple hedgehog on the shoulder.

"Huhwhat?" Serenity shook her head, coming back to the present.

"The ceremony is almost over, my dear…"

She looked up bemusedly. "Wha?" She said oh-so-eloquently.

Prophecy tried to hide the cryptic smile on her face. "You were staring into the ash from the offering for five minutes. See anything of consequence?"

"What? Huh…uh…no?" She had not intended it to sound so much like a question.

Prophecy's lip twitched. "Mm-hmm…" But she said nothing more.

Serenity turned her gaze back to the waiting priest. "Ok…so…what else is there to this? I'm wai-" She was interrupted from the familiar phrase by Prophecy's hushing.

The priest reached down into the remnants of the offering and came up with ash on his fingers. He reached out a shaking hand and smeared the soot across Serenity's forehead. "May the Mother guide you–"

"– In the coming days of strife and heartache…" Prophecy finished cryptically.

Serenity recoiled slightly. "What!" She looked at the wildcat strangely. She brought her hand up to her forehead and stared at the ash that came away on her fingers as if it was the strangest thing she had ever seen. She glanced at Prophecy out of the corner of her eye. "What 'ZACTLY did you mean by that?"

Instead of an answer, the serval said, "You will need to be strong. Being the Promised One has its curses as well as blessings.'

Serenity cocked her head, staring at the wildcat oddly. "…Whatever," she said after several minutes. "Are we done yet?"

The serval nodded. "We may return to the party now. If you will follow me to the dressing room so that we can get you back in your finery…"

Reni rolled her eyes. "Great…can hardly wait. Ok, fine…I don't know what yer hiding from me, but I get the feeling I don't wanna know…What was in that bag, by the way?"

Prophecy didn't turn around. "That which you would have thrown away. It was far too soiled for you to have worn again."

Reni had to think about that one for a while, and when she finally figured it out, she wished she hadn't. "You…burned my bloodied undies?" She made a face. "Oh that is just…Y'know what…never mind…I should'na asked…"

* * *

Back at the Gateway Ball, Serenity sighed heavily and plopped back down into the throne appointed to her, again in the 'way past annoying' dress. She gazed out mournfully at the unending line of youths still waiting to meet her and groaned, curling up slightly. Her abdomen was cramping again. _This is gonna be a LOOOOONG night…_ She thought miserably. _I thought Mom said something about there being pizza here…I haven't even SEEN a buffet table in this place…_Just then, Alcor started crying again. Reni grumbled irritably, dropping her head to her knees in exasperation. _That brother of mine…He just HAS to start crying when I'm most uncomfortable…Couldn't Mom have left him with a babysitter?_ As if to make the situation worse, the baby started clambering from his mother's lap into _hers._ Reni made a face, which prompted a giggle from her irrepressible baby brother. Serenity sighed, grumbling as he started climbing on her spines to sit on her head, jabbing her a couple times with his own semi-hard quills. "Oww! Hey, watch it, Alckie…" She muttered, annoyed.

The child was mostly hedgehog, like Serenity and their father, though he had some hybrid aspects reminiscent of his mother. His spines were a dark indigo, darker than Sonic's, with just a hint of purple that was only visible in the sunlight. Alcor's belly was fuzzier than his father or sister's, and he had a short, squirrel-like tail similar to Sally's. He had little auburn bangs that fell to either side of his face, framing it, but not falling in his eyes like Reni's forelock did. His ears still had some of the newborn-droopiness to them, though the right ear drooped more than the left. In the center of his forehead was a white birthmark, shaped vaguely like a five-pointed star, which explained his name, as the star Alcor was a prominent one in the Mobian night sky.

Serenity grumbled irritably. Her brother gurgled and shifted, settling into her quills. "Wen-Wen!" he said, gleefully drooling on her face. Reni mumbled something unintelligible, impatiently whipping the drool off her face, along with some of the ash and oil from the ceremony.

Abruptly, she scrunched her eyes shut, yelping out an involuntary, "Owww!" Alcor was chewing and pulling happily at her ear, his sharp little baby teeth painfully pinching the tender skin on her ear. "Al-_cor…_" she whined, plucking the child off of her head, wincing as she gently made him release her ear. It flicked several times of its own accord, the pain slowly subsiding. Making a face, she held the baby out away from her.

"Wen-Wen…" The hoglet strained his hands toward her, lip trembling,

She refused to be swayed by manipulation. The purple hedgehog deposited her brother in his mother's lap, and stepped carefully back, wincing, expecting a yowl. She sighed in relief when none came. The baby had settled contentedly back into his mother's arms, gurgling. Serenity turned and snuck back to her seat, rubbing at her sore ear. _Great…The entire planet gets to see me humiliated by my irritating little brother…Not to mention his breath…_She made another face. _I bet he found another dead toad or something…He just HAS to go and chew on every dead amphibian he can find…And then on my EAR! I hope I didn't get dead toad juice in my ear…_She shook her head briefly as if to dislodge anything that had gotten inside her ear. _Honestly…If I have to– _

She didn't finish her thought, as a familiar smell entered her nostrils, driving away all thoughts of anything else. Her ears shot straight up, her nose quivering in anticipation. She hadn't SEEN the buffet table yet…That didn't mean it wasn't there. The pizza had just been delivered. Reni let her nose lead her right to it. She had to employ a good deal of self-control to keep her from pouncing on it, thus embarrassing her further. Instead, she took a decent-sized plate of pizza slices back to her seat, all the while eyeing what she had left on the table. It was disappearing distressingly quickly.

Of course, it WAS there for everybody else, too. Not just her. She tried to relax and enjoy what she'd gotten. Besides, everyone knew her obsession for pizza…enough had probably been ordered for everyone that wanted it as well as providing for her insatiable appetite. _Sheesh…this shindig must have cost a flippin' HEAP o' Mobiums…

* * *

_

"Go on!" One of his companions nudged him.

"What! Are you crazy? I can't do that!"

"Why not?" another asked, "We saw the way you were lookin at 'er…Go talk to 'er!'

"Well…B-but I couldn't possibly…" The youth stammered, his maroon face turning even darker red than usual with embarrassment, "…Was it really that obvious?" He asked his grinning companions. They nodded. "Aww…Geez…" His blush deepened, his spines crackling with uneasy static. "Look…I-I-I…I just can't…She'd never even notice me…I mean, c'mon, she's the princess! What am I to her? Just a delivery boy wit' no home…" He looked down at his boots.

"C'mon, Surge, she looks bored."

"Oh, so now I'm supposed to be some kind of amusement? That's REAL nice guys…"

"C'mon…She's not gonna bite…"

"That's what you think…She looks annoyed…"

"So?"

"B-but…I gotta get back to work! We ALL do! What'll the boss think if…"

"Oh come on, don't be such a scaredy-hog! Boss gave us some time off to enjoy ourselves at the party…Go on, Surgie…Say hi to the princess for us!"

"But…I just deliver the pizza…I don't have the right to talk to – Hey, don't call me Surgie!" The dark-red hedgehog said, reproaching the guilty party that used the undesirable nickname with a mild electrical shock. He balked as his work buddies pushed him closer to where Serenity slouched in her throne, looking pained, bored, and miserable. Soon, to his consternation, he stood right in front of her.

She seemed to look right through him at nothing at all, irritatedly tapping her foot. She was bored out of her mind. She sighed, thinking, _Yet another guy that wants to meet me…When will this party END!_

Surge looked around. To his horror, his work buddies were nowhere to be seen. Gulping, he tried to speak. "H-hello…Highness…" He managed to squeak out. _Sweet Mother Mobius, yer beautiful…! _The thought had ambushed him before he could stop it. His blush deepened even more.

Serenity shifted, appearing to notice him for the first time. "What? Oh…Yeah…Hi yerself…" She said without much emotion. Her eyes were starting to droop…Was this the party that never ended? Sonic nudged her playfully, and she glared at him. Turning back to the nervous youth before her, she said, "So what's your name then?" She had not meant to sound so snapish, she thought to herself reproachfully. She watched tiredly as he hurriedly backed away from the throne, muttering apologies that he didn't really need to make. She wanted to make amends, but…she was SO tired…Her eyes drooped closed…

* * *

Later, as the party-goers started to disperse, Serenity was gently woken by her parents. The three of them, with Alcor asleep in his mother's arms, sat there for a while, watching as the last of the revelers left. Serenity had to keep being shaken awake, though she said nothing other than, "Daddy, What was that nudge for when I was talking to that kid back there?"

He winked at her. "I think he liked you, Ren."

"Wha?" This took her a little while to comprehend because of her fatigue. She blinked a couple times, then promptly dropped the subject as she started to drop her head to her chest again.

Several minutes later, her parents gently roused her again as they helped her to her feet. She stumbled out the palace door after them, blinking furiously in the post-dawn light. _Great…an all-nighter…_She thought hazily, stumbling back into the palanquin. She was asleep again before they arrived home.

* * *

Deep within the Great Forest, in the hut of an old spotted skunk, there was celebration as well, though of a more subdued sort. While his granddaughter was celebrating her friend's Gateway to Adulthood in the city, the old healer had had a breakthrough. Or rather, his two comatose patients had. That very night, the two overlanders had opened their eyes for the first time in 28 years.

The ancient mottled black-and-white skunk's heart soared to see his patients sitting up in their bunks, eating the warm mash he had made for them. Twenty-eight long years had finally paid off! It was definitely a credit to his healing prowess.

It was true that there was something…unsettling…about them…They sat in their beds, not saying anything, almost…_broodingly_…or so it seemed to him. Indeed the large man's eyes WERE unsettling…red pupils in iris-less eyes whose eye-whites were not white but black…But he assumed it was some birth defect, and therefore unrepairable. He tried not to worry about it. After all, he HAD scolded his grandchild for judging by looks alone. He should not be such a hypocrite. He thought no more about the man's eyes as he tried to strike up a conversation with them, "So…How are you two feeling?"

"Fine." The big man mumbled, almost sharply.

"And you?" The skunk turned to the smaller man.

The short overlander just stared snootily down the length of his enormous nose at the healer-skunk, saying nothing. This short one kept glancing nervously at his large companion when he thought neither her nor the skunk was looking.

"So…what are your names?" the skunk pressed. Neither human said a word. Finally, Snowdrift's grandfather took this as a hint to leave his patients alone for a while. It could be normal. They might just be confused and frightened about waking up in a strange place with someone that did not look like them…overlanders were not known for tolerance for other sentient beings…

But there he went thinking prejudicially again! He must not succumb to hypocrisy. He decided to let the matter drop. Besides he had work to do. Where was that granddaughter of his? Surely the party was not supposed to last THIS long, was it? He stepped outside, watching as the forest grew gradually lighter as the sun rose on a new day, waiting for his protégé to return. He had things to teach her about the healing arts…

* * *

Inside the healer's hut, the large form of the reawakened Robot Master shook slightly with rage. How had he managed to let the Rodent defeat him? How many years had he spent locked in the prison of this comatose body? What had changed? He was confused, and that confusion irritated him almost as much as the Rodent. One thing was for sure, the world had NOT turned out the way he had planned for it to. Here he sat, in a body far weaker than it had been, with his aggravating nephew quivering in the other bed, in this crude hut, in the middle of this, this…_FOREST!_ He shuddered, revolted by all the greenery.

He could be sure that all the furry creatures he had tried to enslave or exterminate were pretty much running the planet by now…All his pollution…all his robots…gone…wasted…Just because the Rodent had had the audacity to ruin his glorious Doomsday machine and send it shuddering and tumbling down on top of him and his good-for-nothing nephew. He glared at the small man, who cringed away. As satisfying as that fearful response was, it was also irritating. Why couldn't Snively do anything RIGHT? Like get them out of the way of the Doomsday machine before it crashed down on them? If it hadn't been for his metallically-enhanced bones and body – and his cushioning bulk – they might both have been killed.

Robotnik glanced at himself in the mirror. He frowned. He'd lost too much weight. He looked downright scrawny. How could he strike fear into the hearts of his enemies with this bony body? Sure, others probably still saw him as fat, but there was far less of it there than before. He took grotesque pride in his corpulence. And it was all gone! Because of that Rodent…and, of coarse, Snively's incompetence.

But…his bulk could be re-obtained, of coarse. His mustache on the other hand…It was GRAY! He couldn't have _that._ Oh-ho no…He could definitely not have that. He stood up and waddled – distressingly comically for his tastes – over to a dresser, searching for hair coloring. There was none. It figured. He'd have to get some soon.

The large man rounded on his smaller lackey when he heard him snickering, backhanding the slight form across the room, which thankfully had no other occupants. He wouldn't have done such a thing were there Mobians there, for fear of being discovered too early. However, to his satisfaction, the room was empty save the two of them, so their secret was safe for now…until he could regain his lost power. And he WOULD regain his power…somehow. The matter had to be thought about for a while though first. Hastiness was part of why they were in the predicament they were in right now. Had he waited and watched for some sort of weakness on the part of the Freedom Fighters…he might have been ruling the planet by now. But instead, he had gone with his at-the-time wonderful Doomsday device. Had he thought it through a bit more before rushing into it, he might have had his empire. But the Freedom Fighters were being too bold at the time. He'd wanted to stop them with one blow. In the end, it had backfired. Horribly.

He would not make that mistake again. For now he would tolerate the trees and huts and cheerful birdsong…till he had a foolproof plan to retake the world…and it would come to him…in time. He also decided to tolerate the gray hairs in his mustache…for now. It would help disguise him until he could make his escape.

For the time being he contented himself by beating on his hapless nephew, who had been snickering at the gray mustache. He grabbed the smaller man by the nape of his hospital gown, lifting him off the floor. It pleased Robotnik that he could still at least accomplish _that._ Snively made his usual stammering pleas for forgiveness as he squirmed in the large man's grasp.

Robotnik hissed at him. "This must never get out, you hear? Don't let any of our enemies know it's me! And don't go spreading rumors about my mustache! You hear me! It's still red, got it!"

Gulping, the smaller man squeaked out a stuttered acknowledgement. Robotnik put him down and returned to his bed to act the part of the convalescent.


	8. Chapter 8: Worrisome Skies

Chapter 8: Worrisome Skies

The year passed without much consequence. Serenity kept stubbornly practicing her running, determined to someday surpass her father in an honest race where he didn't hold back for her. And indeed, he had kept good on a promise he'd made to not slow down for her in their races.

Reni was frustrated. She had not won a race since the promise was made, but she kept at it, running herself almost to the breaking point each day. She sighed heavily, plopping down in the dry leaves and grass. The Great Forest's trees were bare; winter was upon them again. Though it was less than two months away from her birthday, the first snows had still not yet fallen. The winter so far had been unseasonably warm. Prophecy said she felt a strangeness in the air, as if the planet were waiting for something uneasily. The Mystic Serval was quite unnerved by the odd weather; said it was a bad omen. Serenity, of course, didn't put much stock into omens, though she _had_ noticed the peculiar weather.

She sighed again, poking absently at the thin ice crystals that were beginning to form on the surface of the ring pool. A chill breeze brushed past her, rustling her spines together eerily. She shivered. Prophecy might have a point. The weather did _seem_ uneasy…That didn't change anything. She put her head down on the bank, trying to hide the tears of frustration. She heard her father sit down beside her; felt him place a hand on her shoulder tenderly. She didn't look up, moaning into her arms, "Why can't I _do_ it? Yer _STILL _faster than me…"

"Well…I AM the original, y'know." There was the slightest hint of a smirk in Sonic's voice. "But it WILL come…I'm sure it will. You just have to believe in yourself and keep practicing."

"Yeah, right..." Serenity snorted. She looked up, hopelessness showing in her sapphire eyes. "Daddy, I've _TRIED!_ It isn't working. Some 'Promised One' I'm turning out to be…Can't go as fast as you…Don't even have anything to be a 'Promised One' about; nothin to fight for! Aaaaarrgghh! I can't stand it!" She started crying again, irritably wiping at her eyes. "…And I feel so STUPID, sitting here cryin like a little kid…"

"Shhh…It's alright. You can cry if ya need to…" her father said, placing an arm around her.

Serenity sniffled, taking shelter in her father's arms. "I…I just…feel so…so…USELESS!"

"I know, honey, I know…"

"But…how could you _possibly_ know what I'm goin through? I mean, yer a world-famous hero. I'm just yer daughter. I've never done anything more heroic than thwart bullies! And I CAN'T RUN!!" She started sobbing afresh.

"Shh…you can too, I've seen you. I've raced you. And let me tell you, recently it's been pretty hard for me to actually stay in the lead." Sonic's lip twitched slightly.

"You're just saying that to make me feel better."

"No I'm not. I mean it. But I _did _promise not to just let you win…" He winked at his frustrated almost nineteen-year-old daughter.

"Heh. And I appreciate that. Sorta. But I just think I could do so much better if…" She let the statement drop, not sure what she would have finished it with.

"If something happened to me?"

"NO!! Don't say things like that, Daddy!" Reni hugged her father somewhat protectively.

"Heh. Sorry." He smirked and tried again, "If you had something to fight for?"

Serenity was quiet awhile. "Maybe." She finally said, staring absently at the barely-frosted ring pool. The violet hedgehog sighed again heavily.

"You need to give yourself more time. Be patient, it'll come, I know it will."

"Oh, yeah, hear _you _talking about patience…" Reni said, more than a touch of irony in her voice.

"Heh. Ya got me there, Ren." Sonic winked, glancing at the ring pool as well. There was a secretive smile on his face.

As she gazed at the partially-frozen waters, Serenity was surprised to see it start to bubble, the delicate tendrils of frost disappearing into the water once more. She squinted at it curiously, confused. A faint yellow glow began to form in the depths. She stared at it as it got brighter.

"Who knows, maybe we can find something that will help you find your speed, eh?"

Serenity didn't look up, transfixed by the light. "I don't know _what _yer talking 'bout, Daddy, but yer startin to sound like Prophecy!"

"Heh, I know." Her father's lip twitched.

Serenity continued to stare as the water became brighter and more turbulent. The water had by now gone from beginning to freeze to almost boiling. The purple hedgehog gaped at it. In all her almost nineteen years in Knothole, she had never actually been near the ring pool when it was producing a power ring before. This was all new to her. She reached out an experimental hand toward the water.

A gloved hand gently grabbed hers and guided it away from the frothing lake. "Don't touch the water. It'd burn you right now. Believe me, I know. 'Fact…Step back. It tends to spray a bit when it comes out."

"Huh? What're you talking about, Daddy?" Serenity squinted at her father, then back at the pond.

"Shh…you'll see."

There was a blinding flash of light as the ring propelled itself out of the water. The flash faded, and the two hedgehogs were left standing in the soft glow of the ring as it floated, rotating slowly in mid-air. Serenity just _stared._

Sonic whispered in her ear. "Hurry, grab it. Before it sinks again."

"But I…"

The ring started to float back down toward the surface of the lake. Instinctively, the retired blue hero reached out and grabbed it, spinning it on his finger. He threw the ring up slightly; caught it on his shoulder and rolled it across his back and down his other arm, throwing it up again toward his astonished daughter. The ring sailed though the air. Without thinking, Serenity reached out and caught it, gaping at it. She turned it over in her hands, feeling the slight tingle it left wherever it touched her.

"Wow…" She breathed. She looked up at her grinning father. "I thought they only recognized you, though!"

The cobalt hedgehog put a hand on his daughter's shoulder. "Well…you ARE my daughter." He said, shrugging. "Go on, try it out."

"Wow…you mean it?" Reni said, eyes wide.

"Sure." The elder hedgehog lounged against a tree, giving her a thumbs-up.

Reni continued to admire the ring for a little while, then took a deep breath and asked, "Ok…What do I do?"

"Absorb it. Let its energy enter your body. There will be another flash of light, then you'll feel positively _hyper."_

"Ok…but…how?'

"Uh…It should just recognize you when you start running…I guess. It's kinda hard to explain."

Taking a deep breath, Serenity closed her eyes and started running. The tingling sensation spread from her fingers to her arms and then down her torso, concentrating itself in her legs. She suddenly felt as if her legs were moving of their own accord, as they began to glow and blur together. "Woaaaahhh!" She was staring at her blurry feet dumfoundedly.

"Reni, look out! Turn! Turn!" She heard her father shout the warning, and she instinctively swerved to miss the rapidly approaching tree, though she wasn't sure _how_ she had been able to turn in time.

"Woaaahhh…" _Steady, girl, steady…_She told herself, swerving again to miss another tree. "Daddy…this…is really weird…How'd you ever get used to this?"

He was now running beside her, coaching her, guiding her. "It takes some time, but you'll get used to it. Trust me." Sonic winked at his daughter. "Now listen…hear that?"

Serenity pricked up her ears. "Hear what? That loud kinda constant explosion? That?"

"Yup. That's the sound barrier. If you can hear that, it means you're breaking through it."

"Really?! I _am?_" Serenity glanced down at her glowing feet again.

"Uh huh. But remember to keep your eyes on the landscape, not your feet. If you don't, you'll crash into an overhanging tree branch or something. Believe me, I did it plenty of times when I was just learning to use the rings." Sonic's lip twitched.

"You DID?"

"Heh…yeah." The cobalt 'hog let a self-conscious smile play across his face momentarily. He continued to guide and coach his daughter in her first power ring use for several minutes.

"Uh…Daddy?"

"Yeah?"

"How do I stop?" Serenity's feet were beginning to feel as if they were burning.

"Just…stop. Plant both of your feet on the ground and you'll skid to a stop. Like this." He demonstrated, fire erupting from the ground under his feet due to the friction. "Mind the flames though. Don't want to set the whole Great Forest ablaze." His mouth twitched again.

Serenity tried it…and was consequently sent flying headfirst into some nearby bushes as she tripped. "Wooooaaaaahhhh!!" Her feet spun impotently in the air a couple times before coming to rest hanging halfway out of the shrubbery.

Sonic helped her out. "Heh. Forgot to warn you about that. I did that a couple of times when I was learning too."

Serenity didn't say anything for a while as she sat, blowing on her smoking feet.

"Oops…forgot to warn you about that too…I should have realized your shoes would burn up with the friction…Sorry 'bout that…"

"No prob, Daddy…that…was great. Thanks…" She said, grinning like an idiot. Spent, the ring fizzled out in her hands.

"Yer welcome, Ren." _Hmm…I gotta talk to Unc about gettin' her a pair of special shoes like mine that'll survive the friction…After all, her birthday IS comin' up…and it'd save money on shoes…_

* * *

That evening, Serenity was roused from one of her secret freedom-fighting daydreams by a rather hesitant-sounding knock on the front door of the stump-house. Figuring it was one of the Royal Guard on some boring business errand with her parents, she thought nothing more of it, resuming her Freedom Fighter fantasizing, staring absently out the window of her room as she imagined herself fighting robots alongside her father. She knew she should be thankful she lived in a time of peace, but…there was nothing wrong with pretending, right?

A knock on her bedroom door again shook her back to reality. "Huh? Yeah, what?" she said, somewhat distractedly. "Er…I mean…Come in." She amended quickly. Her mother entered, bringing with her a familiar odor. Reni's ears perked up as she turned around. "Pizza?" she asked, though there was no mistaking the smell.

"Umm…yes…" Sally sounded a little confused. "It was on the doorstep when I opened the door, though there was nobody there with it, and we didn't order any pizza today…" The ground squirrel paused for a minute, a slight secretive grin appearing on her face and then vanishing quickly, as if she knew more than she was saying. Serenity didn't notice this, however, as she opened the pizza box and prepared to pounce on her favorite food. Her mother's next statement stopped her in mid-pounce, "I found this envelope on top of the box." That fleeting smile appeared and disappeared again.

The violet hedgehog took the envelope and stared at it. It was addressed simply: "To the Princess." Serenity didn't notice her mother leave her room as she opened the envelope. Inside was a folded piece of ordinary lined notebook paper with a - rather shakily - hand-drawn heart on it. Serenity quirked an eyebrow, now genuinely curious. She opened the make-shift card and read the – also shakily - handwritten note inside.

_Your Highness,_

_I…You probably don't know me, but…well, I…We met at your Gateway. You probably won't remember me, as I'm sure you met countless other guys, most likely more charming than me…and, well, I…_

_Um…well…I know you like pizza and all, and I…uh…wanted to get you some, and um…yeah._

_Anyway…Um…Sorry about the sucky card…After buyin' the pizza, I…well, I couldn't afford a proper card…so I made this one…_

_And now you probably think I'm pathetic and want nothin' more ta do wit' me, so…I guess I should just get to the point, huh?_

_Point is…I…uh…like you. If you know what I mean…And…um…yeah. I'll shut up now._

_--The Poor Wretch Who Has No Chance…I-I mean, Your Secret Admirer_

_P.S.: I think you are gorgeous…er…yeah. Anyway…_

Serenity didn't quite know what to think. The pizza for the moment forgotten, she sat on her bed, just staring at the home-made card…her first love letter…from someone who seemed to think himself unworthy of her. Strangely, she was more touched by the 'sucky card' than the pizza. Still a bit stunned, she placed the letter – somewhat reverently – on one of the end tables by her bed. She continued to stare at it for a while, lost in thought.

* * *

_C__LAAAANNNNG!!_

He winced. The councilors were NOT going to be happy with him for slamming the front gate like that…But…He wanted to get to his room as quickly as possible; he sincerely hoped his roommate was out…The dark-red hedgehog REALLY didn't want to deal with anyone right now…They'd never let him here the end of it…especially some of the younger ones…He was having a hard enough time controlling his pounding heart as it was; he'd almost been seen…He didn't think he could deal with that right now. Maybe later, after he'd gotten used to these kinds of feelings, but…_That's IF I ever get used to them…_

He could just see it…The younger orphans…_"Sur-gie's got a giiirl-friend, Sur-gie's got a giiirl-friend…" _He winced again, shaking his head to get the image of the kids' teasing sing-song phrase out of his head as he entered his room and went to the bathroom sink to wash his face, hoping that would get the annoying hot feeling out of it. He heard the sizzle of his electric ability complaining about the water, but ignored it. Surge looked at himself in the mirror…and grimaced. His ears and muzzle still looked flushed…this love thing was certainly not all it was cracked up to be…but…

"I did it…I can't believe I finally got up tha nerve, but…I did it…" Surge muttered to himself.

"Did what, bro?"

The maroon hedgehog cursed under his breath. He had been so preoccupied that he hadn't noticed the room wasn't empty. Surge glanced over his shoulder. His roommate, a dark-skinned overlander about two years his junior, lounged on his bunk – the lower one – of their bunk-bed, his head hanging off of the bed upside-down as he held a game controller in the air, fingers tapping away at it. Surge made a face. Honestly, he didn't see how his roommate could stand playing video games in that position. "Uh…nothin…How can you play like that? Doesn't it give you a headache?"

"Nope…an' don' change the subject. I know it weren't 'nothin.' You finally wrote that love letter, dincha?"

"What?! N-no! That's not it…!"

"Uh huh. Don' gimme none o' dat. I seen how you been actin lately. You can't hide yer feelins all that good, bro. You's got a case o' lovesickness, bro, and you's got it bad."

The dark-red hedgehog blushed. "Is it really that obvious?"

"Yup." His roommate didn't even look up from his game. "Who's got yer heart, bro? Is it the Princess?"

"Wh-what?! N-no! I-it's not! I……How'd you know?"

"Trus' me…I know, bud, I jus' KNOW…" the young overlander made his voice sound mysterious.

Surge rolled his eyes. "Oh please." He vaulted his way onto his top bunk.

"I do, though!"

"Whatever, Jase. Ok. So I'm in love wit' the Princess…Jus'…Don' let it get 'round, 'kay?"

"My lips is sealed, bud, but…why so nervous 'bout it?"

"I…the littler ones…they would never let me hear tha end o' it…"

"So? Wha's wrong wit it? Folks is fallin in love all da time, bro. It's natchal."

"Maybe, but…I've got no business fallin' in love with the _PRINCESS!! _I…don' deserve her…Er, she deserves so much better'n me…She's got her choice o' nobleman-guys an' minor princes…I'm jus' a nobody with no family livin' in a dingy orphanage in the city…Why should I think she'd ever even notice me?"

"You might be surprised, bud. Way I hear it, she don' even LIKE bein a princess, man!"

"…Maybe, but…her parents…"

"- Ain't like 'typical' royalty either, I hear. Give yo'self a chance, bro. Mebbe she don't WANT one o' those minor princes, man."

Surge was silent for a while. "Maybe…but…I still say she'd have no future with me…I mean…My own family cast me out…" That last statement wasn't much more than a murmur, but Surge's roommate heard it.

"Yeah…what's up wit' dat, anyway bro? Why'd they kick ya out? Ya don' seem like a troublemaker or nothin…"

"I…uh…don' wanna talk about it…" The maroon hedgehog muttered, uncomfortable with the direction the conversation was taking.

"Ok, ok…I c'n 'spect dat. You don' wanna talk 'bout it, ya don' hafta. Ever'body oughta be able ta keep ther closet-skeletons hid if'n they want, I guess…"

The conversation trailed off, Surge lost in thought, his roommate absorbed in his game.

* * *

"Your Highnesses! I have urgent news from the city!" The royal guard panted, out of breath from his hurried arrival.

Disinterested, Serenity decided to let her mother take care of whatever-it-was, while she continued to ponder the latest love letter she had gotten from her secret admirer. She was determined to find out who it was, but strangely, she hadn't been able to catch him yet, despite the fact that she had taken up waiting to pounce on him as he delivered the notes each evening. Either he was as fast as she and her father were, which was impossible, or he had some other ability that kept him from being seen. Reni thought she had seen a flash of light and heard thunder this last time, though the sky had been perfectly clear when she opened the door…odd.

"Serenity!" Sally barked so suddenly, that Reni felt herself instinctively start to curl up.

She shook herself out of it, and turned her attention to her mother, somewhat annoyed. "What?"

"Pay attention, please."

"Why? It's just some boring news repor-"

"Because…" the ground squirrel interrupted, "This sort of thing is an important training opportunity. You may have to know how to deal with situations like this once you are queen."

"What if I don't WANT to be queen?"

"You really don't have a choice; you are the firstborn, which means you are heir to the throne."

Serenity sighed and rolled her eyes. "Fine...Situations like what?"

"You really _weren't_ paying attention, were you?"

"Uh…no."

Sally sighed and turned to the royal guard. "I'm sorry. Could you repeat your report please?" She turned back to her impatient daughter. "Pay attention this time, please."

Reni sighed again, but complied.

Slightly flustered, the royal guard started again. "The MP's have informed us that the Royal Mobian Freedom Fighter Museum was burglarized last night. Several artifacts were stolen, including the decommissioned robotisizer.—"

Sally's gasp interrupted the royal guard's speech. "Oh my…!"

In spite of herself, Serenity found she was actually getting interested in this topic. "Why would anybody wanna steal THAT ol' thing?"

"The MP's are trying to figure that out, Your Highness. So far, they are clueless. The theory they have given us so far is that it is some eccentric collector trying to complete a collection of freedom-fighter-era artifacts."

"What if…" Sally hesitated to propose the idea, however, it was nagging at the back of her mind. "What if it's someone trying to…"

"—to plan another coup? The MP's have considered this, but they assure us that they know of no one who would even think of doing that; the effects were so lasting and so negative, that not even current criminals would consider it."

"Hmm…maybe so, but…How'd they do it?"

"The MP's don't know that either. There's no sign of forced entry, which means the thief was there when the museum closed, and/or had access to the door codes. We have instated new guards around the museum, in case the thief comes back for more. We assure you, Your Majesty, if anything more happens there, you will be the first to know."

"I appreciate it, thank you. Is there any more news I need to be aware of?" Sally asked.

"Other than a few missing person reports, nothing else out of the ordinary, Your Highness."

"Thank you. Dismissed."

* * *

"Phase Two complete, sir. Your retrieval plan worked perfectly, and the police don't suspect a thing. They are convinced the crime was committed by an eccentric collector; no one knows we – ahem – I mean, you, are back…_Sir._" There was a note of rebelliousness in the small man's voice that he tried to hide.

Robotnik noticed it, but ignored it. He could reinstate the proper amount of fear into his nephew easily enough at any time. Right now, he had bigger plans to deal with. "Excellent. It is mine again, then?"

"Yes. It will need some major repairs, and new glass for the tube, as there is a large crater of impact-shattering that would jeopardize the hermetic seal and cause possible danger to the control boards, and –"

"Spare me the details. Just tell me that it _is_ repairable…"

"It is, sir."

"Excellent. How long?"

"Several weeks at the most, sir. Other than the glass, damage is minimal."

"Excellent. What about my—"

"Step ahead of you, sir. Here is your – _snicker_ – hair coloring…" The short overlander dangled the bottle in front of his large uncle's face mockingly.

Robotnik snatched it away from him. "Give me that!" he snarled, and his lackey shrank back away from him, cowed. Stashing the hair coloring bottle in his suit, the large man continued, "And…the prisoners?"

"Only ten percent of the population captured sir, but if you wish more, we can—"

"That is fine. We ARE trying to be subtle, here, Snively."

"Yes, sir…"

"Just make sure they don't escape. We absolutely CANNOT let the populace get an early warning this time. I want NO mistakes this time around, you hear me?!"

"Y-yes, s-sir."

"We will wait here in this abandoned warehouse I have procured for us, until I have amassed enough power, and the robotisizer is repaired. This time, my takeover will be gradual, so that those miserable beasts don't even know I'm here…until it is too late. I will take over their city slowly, hacking into their military's mainframes and taking over with computer viruses…Prisoners will be acquired and robotisized slowly, so that the…citizens…don't even know what hit them until it's too late…and then…my final strike…on that rodent…" the black-eyed man trailed off, musing on his master plan.

* * *

The next evening, Surge made his way to the stump-house to deliver another letter to Serenity. He stopped short of the house, however, and dove into some nearby bushes, where he sat for a few minutes, trying to calm his pounding heart. He couldn't approach the house! She was there, sitting on the doorstep waiting to pounce on him! He couldn't go any closer; he wasn't prepared to be discovered yet. _Oh, what am I gonna do? I havta give this to her…but if I go any closer she'll see me, and I'm not ready for that!_

After several minutes of panicked deliberation, the maroon hedgehog came up with a plan. Keeping to the cover of the bushes, he crept around to the stump's back door, leaving his note and knocking on that door. He then hastily retreated to the bushes again, where he called up his electrical powers for a quick getaway.

Before the princess could race around to the back door, a bolt of lightning struck the place where Surge was hiding, engulfing him and transporting him back to the safety of an uninhabited part of the forest. Smoothing down his excited quills, he made his way back to the city and the orphanage he called home.

* * *

"Dang! Missed 'im, AGAIN!" Serenity complained, picking up the note from the back doorstep. She glanced around, scanning the trees for her bashful suitor. "It's okay!" She called out, hoping he was still nearby. "I don't bite. Come on out!"

No answer.

Shrugging, she reentered the house, failing to notice the nearby scorched bush and patch of earth.


	9. Chapter 9: Point of No Return

Chapter 9: Point of No Return

Chapter 9: Point of No Return

Serenity sighed as she lay on her bed, staring up at the ceiling of her room. Another birthday. She wondered idly what she'd get this time. Her friends and family always got her nice gifts on her birthday, but, for some reason, the purple hedgehog always ended up feeling less than satisfied. Probably because she had never gotten what she truly wanted…and only _she_ could get herself that. Every year, after the pizza and cake, and after the gifts were given, she would have another race with her father. What she desperately wanted most was to win, on her own, without help. Every year since her father had promised that he wouldn't simply let her win, however, that wish had gone unfulfilled. She was determined to win the race this year, though. She sighed. _Prob'ly won't happen, though. Never does…_She sighed again, before getting up and heading downstairs for breakfast.

* * *

Surge sat, staring at the picture of the princess that he kept on his desk. He opened one of the desk's drawers, sighing in relief. Good. The small box was still there. Today was the day…the day he would finally show himself to the girl that he loved. And this time he actually had a marginally-suitable gift…one that was actually worth giving. He'd saved up all his spare change to buy this for her…and now he was having second thoughts about even going to the party. _I wasn't really invited…would they really appreciate me crashing the princess's birthday party?_ He shook the thought out of his head. Anyone who knew her was invited…she didn't even use formal invitation cards…But…she only actually knew him through his love letters…and, recently, several short phone calls – he'd gotten slightly bolder in the past couple weeks – she didn't really know who he was. _Stop it! _ Surge told himself, _Now's no time to get cold feet. You're going, and that's that._ He thought for a moment. _Maybe I should call…just in case…to see if it's ok to come…_He glanced over at his telephone, reached for it…and then hesitated. Shaking all nervous thoughts out of his head, he reached for it again and dialed the number…

* * *

In a dark, derelict warehouse in a forgotten part of Mobotropolis, major preparations were being made. A pair of black eyes with red pupils studied a dozen surveillance monitors contemplatively. Robotnik chuckled sinisterly, moving his gaze from a monitor showing the newly-repaired robotisizer, to several that surveyed the surroundings outside the warehouse, to a disk he held between two fingers. Almost reverently, he inserted the disk into a slot in his control panel. "It's time…" he said to himself, his dark eyes glittering ominously, "To take back MY city…this disk will send out a signal, activating all the dormant viruses I planted in their computers and machinery…This time I WON'T lose!" He chuckled again. The process would take several hours before the authorities and the general public would notice it, and by that time, it would be too late. All of Mobotropolis' – or rather, ROBOtropolis' – technology would once again belong to him.

And then…it would be on to Phase Four of his takeover…the part he was most eagerly looking forward to…doing away with that rodent forever…

* * *

Serenity sauntered nonchalantly downstairs from her room to the breakfast table, plopping herself down in one of the rustic-designed chairs, and leaning backwards in it. "Hey, Mom, Daddy." She said, trying to sound unconcerned. She'd had another nightmare early that morning. She pushed the thoughts of it away, not wanting it to mar her 'special day,' but, secretly, it had really scared her, with it's portents of impending disaster that seemed so real. What was worse was that this wasn't the first time she'd had it. She'd had it off and on throughout childhood, but recently, it had been haunting her more and more often. She never told anyone, especially Prophecy, as the Mystic Serval would no doubt have thought it an omen or something ridiculous like that…

Her mother's reprimand cut her out of her ponderings. "Serenity Alicia, what have I told you about tilting your chair back like that?! Just because it's your birthday, doesn't mean you can just disregard the rules! Do you realize how hurt you could get if that chair were to unbalance and tip all the way over?!"

"Huhwhat?! Oh…yeah…sorry." She leaned back forward, returning the chair to all fours. She blushed slightly. "Dunno what came over me." She grinned nervously at her mother. "I really am sorry…"

The ground squirrel sighed and rolled her eyes, muttering under her breath, "What AM I going to do with you?"

There was a slight thump, and Serenity's eyes met her father's, as he gently un-tilted his chair, trying not to get caught. He flashed a slightly self-conscious grin. Reni winked back, as if to say, "Don' worry, I won't tell."

"And don't think I didn't see YOU, Mister Fast Moves! Honestly, where do you think she gets it from, hmm?"

The two hedgehogs exchanged nervous glances again. Reni mouthed, "Busss-ted…" at her father and winked. He rolled his eyes, but winked back.

At that moment, the telephone rang. Before anyone else could even blink, Sonic was up and answering it, knocking over his chair in the process. Sally shot him a look, and he grinned nervously, returning to right the overturned chair. "Sorry…force of habit." He whispered, returning to the phone. After a couple minutes, he motioned to his daughter. "It's for you." As she got up to take the call, he mouthed, "It's a boy…" and elbowed her, winking.

Reni just rolled her eyes and took the phone from him. "Yeah, Reni here…" After a couple minutes, "Yeah, its okay by me, lemme check wit' my folks." The purple hedgehog placed her hand over the receiver and addressed her parents. "It's my 'secret admirer.' He wants to know if he can come to the party today. I guess he finally got up the nerve to show 'imself." Following a nod from her parents, she turned back to the phone. "Yeah, they don' mind. It'll be good to finally meetcha face to face…" A bit of a pause…"Yeah, okay, seeya then. Bye." The conversation finished, she hung up the receiver and returned to the table.

* * *

As afternoon approached, Serenity found herself meandering around the party setting, located in the small meadow behind her parents' stump-house. The trees to either side of the clearing were festooned with paper lanterns, and streamers were draped from all sides to the lone tree in the meadow's center. It was around this tree that the course of the annual birthday race was set, its markers also hung with paper lanterns. Serenity examined the finish line markers. At the top of each was a bucket of confetti, set to rain down at the end of the race. Serenity rolled her eyes briefly. _Sheesh…There's more decorations and falderal here than at my Gateway Ceremony…_She glanced toward the streamer-laden picnic table that would soon hold the party pizzas, snacks, and later, her cake. _Though I'll definitely enjoy this shindig more than I did my Gateway…_She thought for a moment about the upcoming race. _…I hope…_

* * *

Elsewhere, in an undisclosed region of the Great Forest, three kitsunes and a half-robotic gray fox stood in reverent silence before a tree marked only by a clump of yellow flowers. Unlike overlanders, who marked the place of deceased loved ones for everyone to see, mobians tended to hide the graves of loved ones from passers-by. Only close family and friends were allowed to know the locations of particular graves; the sites were also scattered all around the forest, as opposed to being gathered all in one place. Mobians also were more inclined to use existing landmarks to mark the location of the burials; they did not use carved headstones.

The Prower family and Liana the Gray Fox stood awhile in respectful silence over the resting place of Laura Prower. Even though Tails had never fully accepted Liana's pledge to marry him in her sister's stead, she had still become a major part of the family, acting as much as she could as a second mother toward the twins. Laura's death had struck almost as much of a blow to her as it had for Tails. Liana once explained that she had a peculiar emotional connection with her sister; they were twins as well. She suspected that twinning ran in her family. Liana explained that at the instant her sister died, though she didn't know it at the time, she suddenly felt a strange weepiness come over her, as if a part of herself had died as well.

The two had been extremely close when they were younger. They had even refused to be parted when faced by the dreaded robotisizer. As a result, they had both been shoved into the machine together. This resulted in the device malfunctioning and shutting down halfway through the process when it sensed two life-forces instead of one completed robian. When they emerged from the resultant smoke of fried circuit grids, each one was only half robotic; one metal on the top half of her body, the other metal on the bottom half. Because of this, when the frustrated villain later tried to complete the process with one at a time, the robotisizer always malfunctioned, signaling that the robian with that particular serial number had already been completed; the robotic half of each sister had been assigned the same serial number. Fed up, Robotnik had ordered them flown out and dropped in the middle of nowhere, certain that they wouldn't survive. Unknown to him, they were dropped just outside of a tiny village on the far side of the great forest, where they were found and adopted by one of the villagers. They had lived there until the day when Laura decided to explore the world beyond the village, and eventually found herself at Sonic and Sally's wedding. Liana decided to stay in the village and watch over their adopted family.

The four vulpines knelt in the shadow of what they affectionately called Laura's Pine for what seemed like hours. Though they tried not to show it, TJ and Peace Prower were growing fidgety. They didn't want to disturb their father and their aunt, but they knew that their best friend's birthday party would start soon, and they didn't want to be late. They both glanced in their father's direction, catching his eye.

Tails knew what they were silently asking him. He nodded and whispered, "It's ok. Go to Serenity's party. I'm sure your mother won't mind."

The twins brightened at this, hurriedly placing their flowers at the base of Laura's Pine before hurrying off – half running, half flying – to get prepared for their best friend's birthday party.

_Besides…_thought Tails to himself, t_hey never really knew you, Laura. I don't know why I made them come today in the first place…_The double-tailed fox felt a metallic paw fall comfortingly on his shoulder. He glanced at Liana and sighed, placing his flowers next to those of his children, as Liana did the same. "Guess we should be going, too, huh?" _Laura, I'll never forget you, I promise…_

* * *

Serenity tried to discard the misgivings that had been plaguing her all day as she greeted her friends and other guests and accepted their well-wishings. Despite the festive feeling, however, she couldn't shake the suspicion that something somehow wasn't right. She looked around at the familiar faces of Snowdrift, the twins, her parents, and the other retired Freedom Fighters and their offspring – all of them clearly enjoying themselves – and resolved to make herself forget her unease and enjoy herself. The party _was_ for her, after all.

The violet-furred hedgehog's eyes caught a movement at the edge of the clearing, and her attention instantly focused on it. There was a figure – hidden somewhat by the early-evening lengthening shadows of the surrounding trees – standing hesitantly just outside the boundaries of the party. As she watched his halting, nervous entry into the meadow, Serenity realized that it must be her 'admirer.' She stayed where she was, lounging against a tree, and let him approach at his own pace; she didn't want to scare her bashful suitor away before she got a chance to meet him.

As he approached, Reni suddenly was hit by a flash of recognition. He was the same guy she had scared away at her Gateway! She now understood why he had been unable to face her before, and she was slightly chagrined. Now he stood before her, shuffling his feet nervously. He was a dark-red hedgehog about her height, and, though his quills appeared to have been nicely combed recently, small clumps refused to conform, sticking straight out messily. In general, the grain of his quills sloped upward in gravity-defying arches, with the middle set falling back down toward his back. All over his body, small clumps of quills stuck straight out, reacting to the static electricity that was constantly sparking between them. Serenity found this unusual but cute in a way she couldn't quite fathom.

The youth jumped nervously at something and suddenly dropped to his knees, bowing. He was dressed only in a set of baggy jeans, whose cuffs slightly hid ordinary brown boots, and a pair of equally-baggy dark-blue gloves. Like Reni's father, this 'hog's arms were covered in tan-colored fur, but unlike him, the markings only went up to his elbows, where they were replaced by the maroon fur that covered the rest of his body.

"Now, c'mon, you don't have to do that. Stand up."

"But…Your Majesty…I'm just being…"

"Respectful, I know. But you don' have to. It makes me self-conscious. So I'm a princess. Big deal. This princess really don' care to be bowed to."

"Well, I…" the newcomer stammered, struggling, rather ungracefully, back to his feet and scratching nervously at the back of his head. The breeze picked up momentarily, ruffling the youth's fluffy white chest. He was rather skinny, but had a nice set of abs, Reni found herself surprised to notice. He looked up at her and they locked gazes for an instant before he abruptly looked away. He had deep, liquid brown eyes, with tiny, almost undetectable red flecks hidden in the irises. His eyebrows, also, had an almost unnoticeable red-line-marking on their undersides.

"Y'know, bashful is cute on you. What's yer name anyway?"

He blushed and nervously rubbed the back of his neck. "S-Sergei…Sergei Breaker. But ever'body just calls me Surge." He held up a hand and a spark arched between his thumb and forefinger. "Because of my electricity." He paused for a minute, as if trying to remember something. "I…Uh…Here." He pulled a small, wrapped package out from its hiding place somewhere in his quills, looking away shyly to hide his deepening blush.

Serenity raised an eyebrow imperceptibly. _A small box!? Like jewelry? On the first meeting!? _She quickly resumed a neutral expression, lest she scare him away again.

"It…Its not much, I know…But I really saved up for it…"

"I'm sure it's wonderful. I…was just surprised, is all. You really didn't have to…"

"It _is_ your birthday, isn't it?"

"Well…yeah…but having just met…Aw, fergit it. C'mon…Make yerself at home." She gestured to the party grounds before them.

"I uh…"

Serenity turned back to him, quirking an eyebrow.

"Well, I uh…I'dratheryouopenitnow." He said quickly, biting his lip nervously, "So nobody will stare. I mean, uh…Well, having just met you and all…I'm afraid I might…wimp out and run away if you had an audience opening it…" He glanced down, scuffing a toe in the dirt.

"Aww…yer cute. Okay."

"I uh…HUH?!" Surge wasn't quite expecting that answer.

Reni winked at him. "Relax. I'm not gonna bite, remember?" She took the proffered gift and unwrapped it, unsure of what she should expect. Would he truly be clueless enough to give her a ring on their first meeting? She opened the box…

It _was_ jewelry, but not a ring. She relaxed imperceptibly. That could have been awkward…

"It's, uh, an anklet. I really didn't know what to get you, but I wanted it to be special, y'know? And, uh…If you don't like it, I can return it and get you something else-"

"Shhh…" The purple hedgehog put a finger to Surge's lips to silence him. "I love it." She whispered, bending down to put the delicate gold chain around her right ankle. "I'll be sure to move it to my wrist when I run so I don't damage it. Thank you." She thought at first to give him a light kiss on the cheek, but then thought better of it. _He might freak out and try to flee…Not that I couldn't catch him…but I don't think I'll push it._ Instead, she took him by the hand and led him further into the party. "C'mon, lemme introduce you to my friends an' family."

* * *

Surge had been dreading meeting Serenity's parents from the moment he realized he was in love with her. He was afraid they would disapprove of him and forbid him from seeing her again, but he soon found out that he had nothing to worry about. He found out that Sally was less of a stickler for tradition than he'd thought she'd be, and Sonic, of coarse, just took it in stride.

"If Grandpa Max was still around, you might have had a problem," Reni teased. Surge bit his lip and looked at her. She shoved him playfully, "Kidding. As long as yer not a power-hungry megalomaniac, you've got no problem wit' my folks." They both laughed, Surge a little nervously. "So…where you from...?" She started, then sniffing, "Hold that thought…I smell pizza." She dashed off to the buffet table, returning shortly with plates of pizza for both of them.

They made their way over to one of the picnic tables. "So…where you from?" Serenity asked again, between bites.

"I, uh…" Surge was distinctly uncomfortable with this question. "Well, see, I…" _Might as well tell her…_ "I guess if we're gonna be, you know, an item, you probably deserve to know my past…It's nothin' as glorious as bein' a princess, I know, but…"

"You kiddin'? Try actually BEING one…" Reni's lip twitched. "Nothin' glorious 'bout it! Just annoyin'…Anyway…sorry for interruptin', go on."

"Er…yeah…Well, anyway, promise me you won't let any of this get out, okay?"

The purple hedgehog looked at him askance, but agreed.

"You asked me where I'm from…The shortest answer is: 'The Mobotropolis Orphanage'…"

"The _orphanage_?!" Reni quirked an eyebrow. "Ain't you a little too old to be living there?"

"I can't afford to live anywhere else at the moment." Surge looked away.

Serenity was chagrined. "I'm sorry. I didn't know. Y'know, you could live here in Knothole. I'm sure we could find an empty hut for you…"

"I appreciate it, but, I could never pay you back…"

"You wouldn't have to; it'd be a royal gift. I can do that, y'know." She grinned.

"Well…maybe…can I think about it?"

"'Course! You don' have to, I was just sayin…You might be more comfortable here."

"Well…thanks…I'll get back to you on that…Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah…

"I was born in a little town in a far-off forest in the Northeastern sector of Mobius, across the Great Endless Ocean." As he said this, Serenity noticed for the first time that he did have a bit of a Russian accent, not too noticeable, but it did give him a bit of a mysterious air. She found she kind of liked it. "My grandfather was a prominent Mobian in town back before I was born. He had been married twice; his first lifemate disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Eventually, he remarried when he realized she wasn't coming back. There was some conspiracy around town concerning that, but I don't know what it was about. Nobody talked to me about it when I asked. They just said it was in the past and didn't matter.

"Anyway, my mother was his second lifemate's daughter. Grandpa was kind of protective of her, apparently didn't want anything happening to her, or so she thought. I don't know. I still wasn't born at that point. She told me all this when my 'father' wasn't around to hear…he didn't like me that much. Turns out I wasn't 'zactly his kid…" Surge looked away and was silent for a while. Serenity didn't push him. She pushed away her growing impatience and waited for him to go on.

"Arranged marriages were common in my village at that time. The mobian my mother was to be married to was not the one she loved…She apparently was in love with a 'hog named Thunder…Her family was well off; his wasn't. Her meetings with Thunder were always clandestine…he was exiled when it was learned that he – not the one she was married to – was the father of the child she carried, aka, me.

"Yes, I was illigit. And I have been paying for it my whole life," He was absently drawing patterns with his finger on the picnic table. "My stepfather wasn't very nice…to me OR my mother. I think she still loved Thunder, not him, and he was bitter about it. He didn't like me…but I got off easy for the most part. He usually just tried to ignore my existence. Mother wasn't so lucky…" He was silent a while.

"That was before my ability manifested, and proved that I wasn't his son. When he found out…Mother and I both regretted it.

"'Umbra, that whelp of yours has to go!' He screamed at her as I cowered in the corner, quills sparking for the first time. They had a big fight, and he beat on her again. Her pretty black face was all covered in bruises…I couldn't stand it anymore. I used my new powers to construct an electro-shield to protect her from his fists, but all it did was get me in even more trouble…

"He then turned on me. 'You little…' I won't go into what he said…it's not fit for repeating in front of fair ears such as yours." As he said this, Reni felt a blush coming on, in spite of herself. Surge continued, "He beat me up and told me to get out. As I fled the house, tail between my legs, I heard him threaten to kill me if I ever came back. It was then that I knew I had to move far away. Though I hated leaving my mother to my stepfather's 'mercy,' I knew it'd be better for both of us if I didn't come back. I was ten at the time.

"I used what little money I had to catch a boat ride across the ocean, working off the remainder doing odd jobs on the boat on the way over. When I got here, I was immediately booked into the orphanage, and have been there since." He sighed, resting his chin in his hands. "There. I said it. Now if you don't want anything more to do with me, I'll understand."

"Surge…" Reni was trying to wipe the tears out of her eyes before he could notice. "I don't know what to say…you were very brave to protect your mother like that…don't depreciate yourself so much. It's not your fault your stepdad was such a jerk…I'm not going to abandon you…I'm not heartless, you know…and you're secret's safe with me." She added as an afterthought.

He looked at her for a while, not taking his head out of his hands. "…Thanks." He mumbled.

"Yer welcome. Now c'mon and cheer up a bit. Forget the past for a while and enjoy my party!" Serenity said, feeling awkward, but wanting to lighten the mood.

"Heh. Right. A party's no place to mope about the past…" he said, trying to bring his spirits up again. "Just thought you should have some background on me, s'all."

Serenity and Surge spent the next hour or so getting to know each other. The maroon hedgehog entertained the purple one with some of the electrical tricks he'd taught himself over the years, and Reni showed off some of the stunts she had learned from her father. She promised to show him around the village when she got the chance.

As darkness settled around the clearing, the festive feeling intensified. All too soon, Reni again found herself the center of attention, as the birthday cake was divided up and the gifts handed out. That unease still nagged at the back of her mind as she tore into each of the gifts, scattering wrappings about the meadow like confetti. She ignored it as best she could and concentrated on having fun.

All the gifts were thoughtful, as usual, but something was still lacking…

Then her father approached, along with his robotisized uncle. The older hedgehog looked much as he had during the freedom fights, since robians couldn't age. They held between them a surprise gift which they placed in front of Serenity. She quirked an eyebrow at the knowing glance that passed between her father and her great-uncle. It was obvious that they had been planning this for a while as they placed the gift before her. She waited only long enough for them to prompt her to open it before tearing into the package. Inside was a new pair of shoes, but she sensed there was more to them than just being a replacement for her worn-out current ones. They were similar in appearance to the shoes her father always wore, except that they were yellow in color in the places where her father's were red. That wasn't what was different about them; her previous ones had the same design. It was something else she couldn't fathom by just looking at them.

"Go on, try 'em out," Sonic prompted. "They're like mine. Won't burn up when you run."

"O-okay…" Serenity said, discarding her old shoes for the new.

"Try runnin' now."

Serenity did so, marveling at the friction-resistant soles. "Past cool, Daddy! Thanx!" she said, skidding to a halt back in the center of the meadow and embracing her father.

"No prob, Ren."

* * *

The moment had come. It was time for the annual race. In the distance there was a muted rumble of thunder. Serenity glanced in the direction the sound had come from, quirking an eyebrow. _Thunder? In the middle of winter?! And I know it wasn't caused by Daddy or me, 'cuz the race hasn't started yet…Prophecy could be right about this weird weather…_Reni thought, eyeing the building dark clouds on the horizon with foreboding. _And then there's my recurring nightmare…_The purple hedgehog tried to put aside her misgivings and focus on the task at hand.

Father and daughter crouched side-by-side at the starting line, waiting for the signal to start. Reni glanced over at her father. "I'm gonna beatcha this time Daddy!" she said, grinning.

"Not a chance, Ren!" He replied, with the same grin.

"I _will!_"

"We'll see."

"Yup, I guess we will!"

The whistle sounded, and suddenly all Serenity saw was the ground in front of her feet as the race commenced. Her only care in the world was to reach that finish line before her father. She didn't even notice him, though she knew he was right beside her doing his best to outpace her as she tried to best him. Any other race, they might have exchanged friendly taunts with each other. Not this one, however. Reni was determined, and she wasn't about to let anything distract her from that finish line!

Which was approaching fast. Serenity concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other. She forced herself to lengthen her stride as much as possible as she turned the last corner of the last lap. _It's the home stretch now…Just a little further, girl…_The finish line tape was nearing… Before she knew it, she'd broken through it, her father a split-second behind her.

Serenity screeched to a halt, staring dumbfoundedly down at the finish tape as it slid down her chest and fluttered to the ground. The gathered crowd was in uproar. As she realized what had happened, a crooked grin spread across her face. _I did it…I DID IT!_ She glanced over at her father as he stopped beside her.

"I don't believe it…you beat me!"

"Well, I AM your daughter, after all!" Reni said, puffing out her chest.

Sonic grinned and clapped her on the shoulder. "That's my girl, alright!"

"Good race, Daddy."

"Good race, Ren."

* * *

After the race, the party wound gradually down; the main event was over. Serenity tried not to gloat about her victory overly much to her father, though some amount of "rubbing it in" was accepted and even almost expected. The purple hedgehog was finally able to feel vindicated about her inherited speed. She thought she'd be happy, but something still didn't feel right. She could still smell tension in the air, which was growing heavier with the approaching storm.

She was lounging against a tree with Surge, Snowdrift and the twins, her parents not far away, when one of the royal guard hurried up to her parents, looking worried. Sally stood up, placing a hand to her muzzle in a clearly worried manner. The ground squirrel's belly was distended; she was clearly expecting again. Reni preferred not to think about the fact that she'd soon be a sister _again,_ but sometimes it was hard not to notice.

Sonic stood up as well, and looked as if he was about to rush off somewhere. Sally stopped him by placing a hand on his shoulder. Serenity tried to eavesdrop on what the discussion was about, but they weren't speaking loudly enough. After some more discussion, Reni's father shot off, much to his mate's annoyance.

Now Serenity knew something was wrong. She stood and approached her mother.

"Mom, what's up? Why'd Daddy run off?"

Sally glanced worriedly in the direction the elder hedgehog had disappeared. "N-nothing. Enjoy your party, dear."

The purple hedgehog would not be put off. "Party's nearly over. What's happenin'?"

Her mother still wouldn't answer as she wrung her hands nervously.

Serenity rolled her eyes. "Fine. I'll find out fer myself! Hey Daddy! Hold up!" She shot off in the same direction Sonic just had.

"Serenity Alicia, come back here! It could be dangerous!" Sally sighed. "I give up. I just hope they don't get in over their heads…" She said to herself before sitting back down.

* * *

Serenity had to break hard to avoid crashing into her father as he stood at the base of a cliff somewhere in the Great Forest. "Whoa!...Hey Daddy. 'Sup?" She said nonchalantly, trying to hide the apprehension she was feeling.

"Shhh…" Sonic's ears were switching back and forth. "Somethin' weird goin' on around here. The guard said he received an anonymous tip that someone saw one o' the ol' SWATbots walkin' around out here."

"What?! But they've been inoperative since…"

"I know. The guard also said there was a strange energy signature out here in the same vicinity. It's probably just some eccentric war-re-enactment buff tryin' to get me to-"

There was a rumbling sound. At first, Reni thought it was just the thunder, but then the ground started shaking as the sound got louder.

"Ren, look out!" Sonic abruptly shoved his daughter away from the shaking and rumbling. She landed on her back in some nearby bushes. The purple hedgehog princess righted herself just in time to see the entire cliff mobilize and come crashing down, swallowing her father in a cloud of dust and rubble.

"Daddieee! NOOOO!" As she watched in horror, a hideous airborne vehicle emerged from the haze, hovering ominously over it for several minutes, before disappearing into the suspended cloud of debris, a ghost from the planet's war-torn past. As soon as it was gone and the dust had thinned a bit, Serenity shot out of her bush and over to the enormous pile of rubble. Her heart caught in her throat as she surveyed the aftermath. Frantically, she started digging through the debris, searching for her father.

A muted squeal of horror escaped her lips as she found him. The former hero was half-buried in boulders and debris. She dug feverishly to free him, her eyes blurring with tears. His sapphire hide was smeared with blood and grit from the rockslide; he was barely recognizable. "No…nonononono…" There was another peal of thunder, and a flash of lightning revealed the scene of her recurring nightmare in surreal starkness for a moment. The rain pelted down, adding to Serenity's misery as she tried futilely to budge the enormous boulder that was pinning Sonic's leg to the ground. _This isn't happening…it can't be…my nightmare…turned real…Oh Daddy…_She stood and shook her fist in the direction the hovercraft carrying the ambush's perpetrators had disappeared in. "YOU! You'll pay for what you've done to my father, I swear it!" she screamed. Overcome, Serenity collapsed over her father's body, the rain disguising her tears as she succumbed to the unbearable grief that filled her soul.


	10. Chapter 10: Broken Dreams

A/N: There is ONE swear word in this chapter. I usually don't put expletives in my work, but I HAD to…to show how vehement Reni was…it simply would not have the same impact with a different word. So, sorry to those of you who don't like expletives. It most likely will be the only instance of swearing in this story.

Chapter 10: Broken Dreams

It was the twins who found them, an hour later. They had agreed to look for Serenity and her father when it became clear that something was keeping them from returning to the party. Sally was concerned, but for the sake of her unborn child and Alcor, she had to stay in the village, since there was an element of danger about the search efforts.

Serenity didn't even hear her two best friends' approach; she was too lost in her anguish to pay attention to the world around her. She jumped and instinctively curled when Peace put a hand on her shoulder. "Reni, it's just us. What…happened?"

Distraught, Serenity turned and buried her face in her friend's arms. "He…saved me…pushed me out of the way…but…it was so sudden…Oh, Peace, what am I gonna do?" She started sobbing again. One minute, everything had been fine, but the next, her whole world was shattered and falling down around her. Her father meant the world to her, but now…

Peace didn't know what to say. She'd never seen her friend this upset before. Of course, nothing like this had ever happened before. "I…I'm sorry…"

Abruptly, Serenity's mood changed. She straightened up, shook the rain and tears out of her fur and looked at her two best friends. "We have to get him home. I…thought I heard a heartbeat when I was…"she trailed off. _It was awfully faint, though…_she glanced in the direction of the prone hero, then wrenched her gaze away, squeezing her eyes shut momentarily before continuing, "Teej, go back to the village an' get help; Dr. Quack an' Snowdrift an' anyone else who can help. Peace, stay with me and see if you can help me get this dang rock off Daddy's foot…" She brushed impatiently at a tear that threatened.

Tails, Jr. nodded somberly and flew off. As soon as he was out of sight, Serenity sank down again beside her father, sobbing. "Hang in there, Daddy, I know you can make it…Help is on the way…" she whispered between tears.

"So…what exactly happened…?" Peace asked.

"We were ambushed!"

"Huh?! By what?"

"You'd never believe me if I told you."

"Try me."

"I…don't really want to talk about it now, okay?" Serenity looked away, sobbing again.

The grey kitsune dropped the subject. She knew Reni would explain eventually. But she needed time. Peace contented herself to just sit with the purple hedgehog, providing moral support. The two of them kept vigil until the medics arrived.

********************

"YESSSS!" Robotnik could hardly believe it. His trap had actually _worked! _He was so used to failure by this point that he didn't quite know how to express himself in victory. When his plans failed, he tended to destroy things. Now that one actually succeeded…well, he could still destroy something, since that tended to bring satisfaction, regardless of the cause. He cast about for something to break. He didn't want to pound on the control panel of the hovercraft, since he still needed that in order to return them to base. Luckily, Snively was nearby. Roughing his nephew up was always rewarding. The large overlander grabbed the smaller one by the shoulders and shook him jubilantly, dropping him roughly on the cold steel floor when he was finished. "I got 'im! I finally GOT 'im!"

"Y-yessir…!" Snively said, trembling. _But you still see fit to abuse me in the process, you bag of lard…_ He didn't dare voice this however. He valued his life too much.

The dark-eyed man turned to his flunky. "You know what this means, Snively?"

"Y-you t-tell me s-sir…"

"It means – you stupid wretch – that the world is now MINE!"

"But sir…you still have to finish taking over the city, you know…"

"All in good time, my narrow-minded lackey, all in good time…"

"Uh, sir…don't you think we should check our – I mean, _your – _handiwork? After all you _have_ underestimated your enemy before…"

Robotnik decided to be lenient for once and disregard that remark. "Nah…not even the Rodent could have survived that rockslide I triggered…I say, let 'im ROT where he fell!" he sneered contemptuously.

"Ooookayyy…." _I still think we should double-check…_

There was silence in the hovercraft for a while. Presently, Robotnik addressed his nephew again. "Oh and Snively…"

The small man cringed. "Y-yes…?"

"You can add 'regicide' to my list of crimes." The man grinned unpleasantly.

Snively sighed and rolled his eyes. "Yessir."

********************

_B__EEP…BEEP…BEEP…_

The sound of the life-support system was an unremitting companion as the purple hedgehog kept a constant bedside vigil by her comatose father in the medical hut in Knothole.

She was just starting to doze off in her chair for the hundredth time, when her mother, Dr. Quack, and Snowdrift – who had taken to apprenticing with the medical waterfowl, as he was no longer in the prime of life and had decided he needed to train an eventual replacement – approached the dejected princess.

"Serenity…honey…it's time to go now…" Sally tried to control the catch in her own throat as she regarded her unmoving lifemate.

"But…" Reni said, standing as her mother led her reluctantly from the room.

"The…doctors need to see what they can do for him…There's nothing more you or I can do…"

"I'm so worried, Momma…" Serenity buried her face in her mother's fur.

"Shh…I know. We all are…" Sally looked down at her daughter, suddenly so small and vulnerable-looking, and placed her arms around her and rocked with her comfortingly. _She hasn't used that name for me since she was a toddler…_

********************

"Serenity…dear…we need to know what _exactly_ you saw…" Sally tried to cajole her glowering daughter into talking. The ground squirrel gulped visibly before continuing, trying to control her emotions, for both of their sakes. "You…you were the only witness…"

Serenity didn't speak or even move for several minutes, burning tears streaming down her sodden cheeks as she glared into empty space. When she finally did speak, her voice had taken on an ominously dangerous tone, "That…that…_BASTARD!"_

Sally was taken aback. She'd never heard her daughter utter a single swear word in her entire life. "SERENITY ALICIA!"

"I'm sorry, Mother." The purple hedgehog did not alter her forward-staring gaze, though her voice had turned contrite. "I really am sorry, but…." Her eyes narrowed to slits…"HE KILLED HIM!"

"Now Reni…your father IS still…_gulp_…alive…"

"Yeah? But for how long?!" Serenity abruptly stood up and started pacing…"And if he comes out of it…he'll wish he was dead! You saw his leg!" She stalked to the window of the Knothole hospital, resting her head in her hands as she propped her elbows on the windowsill. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying futilely to stop the tears. "That…that…"

"Reni…what was it?" Her mother came over to stand beside her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "What did you see?"

The purple hedgehog princess flinched at the touch, and sank down to the floor, curling up instinctively as she started sobbing afresh. Sally sat down beside her, and Serenity turned and buried her face in her mother's fur again, trying to wipe away the tears. But the tears just kept coming. In a small voice she said, "It was _him…_"

"Who?"

"You know…that bag of lard…"

Sally gasped as understanding hit her. "No…"

"Yes…"

"But…he's dead…"

"No, Mother…no he's not…I saw him with my own eyes…"

"Robotnik…." Mother and daughter said in unison, their eyes meeting with a sudden sense of foreboding.

********************

Serenity stubbornly refused to leave the hospital, even with dawn approaching. She sat outside the intensive care unit room her father was being kept in, waiting for any sign of good news. The doctors and surgeons had worked through the night to try to save Sonic, and Serenity was not going to be anywhere else, should something happen, good or bad.

She stubbornly refused to acknowledge her mother when the ground squirrel came requiring her presence in an urgent matter of state.

"Serenity Alicia, I need you with me right now. There is urgent news from the city…"

"Can't it wait? Don't you see I'm busy?!"

"Serenity, I'm as worried about him as you are, but…"

"Then have them report it in here! I won't leave Daddy." Serenity set her stance obstinately.

Sally put her hands on her hips. "It wasn't a request. And the Guard can't report it in here." The ground squirrel added in a whisper, "We don't want to panic bystanders."

Serenity sighed and reluctantly acquiesced. "Fine…but make it quick…" She cast one final glance in the direction of the hospital door before following her mother out and to the old building that used to serve as the briefing area during the days of the freedom fights. The building had gone unused since the celebration of the collapse of Doomsday…until now. The old Freedom Fighter gang was hastily dusting off all the instruments of guerilla warfare as they arrived. The Royal Guard was there as well – some of them anyway; the rest were either in the city, or guarding the ICU room that Sonic was in – awaiting the royal mother and daughter. The Guard bowed stiffly as they approached, causing Reni to roll her eyes in annoyance.

"Good evening, Your Highnesses…We regret to pull you away from His Majesty in his current state, but…"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah…Can't you just spit it out already?!"

"RENI!"

Serenity cast her eyes on the ground. "Sorry, Mother…I'm just…"

"…Worried, I know…I am too…" Sally trailed off for a minute before regaining her take-charge attitude. "But we need to know what's happening." She turned to the guard, gulping imperceptibly, "Go ahead, please."

"Well…" The guard began, "Early Yesterday evening, technological equipment all over Mobotropolis began malfunctioning. The Guard and the MP's in Mobotropolis suspected it was a hacker and began working to try to pinpoint the miscreant's location; however, none of their equipment was working either. The city fell into disarray as all inhabitants struggled to make their technology work, to no avail.

"This went on throughout the time Her Highness's party was going on, and we in Knothole did not get word until late that evening, after our King's unfortunate accident, that the city was declaring a state of emergency."

"However, at that time, saving the King took precedence over all else…"

"As well it should…" Reni muttered, darkly, before her mother shushed her.

The guard went on, unfazed by the princess's remark, "As we were trying to deal with the tragedy here, the city…um…well, the city…fell."

"Fell?" Mother and daughter both raised eyebrows at this, though each thought they knew what the guard meant. They each waited with foreboding feelings deep in their hearts.

"Um, yes…It seems…It seems that Doomsday did not kill Robotnik as we had hoped. He's back. The city's gone…under his control again…Half the population is missing…and more refugees are pouring into Knothole as I speak…." The guard trailed off. "We also lost half the Guard and MP's…again…."

Sally's heart sank. It was the news she had been dreading. After all those years…after getting the planet and Mobotropolis back to prosperity…it was gone again…in an instant. "No…"

It was Reni's turn to comfort her mother, as the queen dropped her head into her hands. Adding to the uncertain fate of her lifemate, this recent news was too much for her to take, and she abandoned her strong façade and wept.

********************

Serenity paced outside her father's hospital room, anxious for any news, good or bad. Couldn't the doctors hurry up with their healing already? The world was once again in need of its hero. The purple hedgehog sighed impatiently and plopped down in one of the chairs in the waiting room…

She awoke to someone gently shaking her. "Reni…the doctors need to speak with you…" It was her mother. The ground squirrel looked strained…as if she was having trouble withholding her emotions. Serenity gulped and followed her over to where her friend Snowdrift waited with Dr. Quack and several others.

"So….I take it it's not good news…"

The healers shook their heads. "Your Highness…"

"Please, just call me Reni…and spill…" She tried to put the impatience out of her voice, but failed. "I can take it." she said, gulping visibly.

"Well, your Highness…Your father IS alive…but….He shows no signs of coming out of his coma…"

The purple hedgehog gulped again and stared at the floor tiles. "Go on…" she said in a small voice.

"Well…his leg was fairly severely shattered, so…we…had to amputate."

"Say _**WHAT?!**_" The purple hedgehog princess's gaze shot up sharply, boring accusingly into each of the doctors.

"We had to amputate his leg…there was no way to save it. I'm sorry, Reni…" Snowdrift mumbled and looked at the floor, unable to meet her friend's accusing stare.

"_AMPUTATE!?"_ Serenity squeaked, shocked and appalled.

"Yes…." continued Quack. "It would have gotten gangrenous and threatened his life if we'd tried to save it…it was already too far gone to even try…I'm sorry, Princess…"

"But, but…_amputate?!"_ Serenity seemed unable to fathom the reality of the word.

"Reni…" Sally started.

"NO! It can't be! I won't believe it!" The hedgehog princess muscled her way into the ICU, and over to her father's side. Apprehensively, she moved the blanket covering Sonic's prone form away from his leg, and beheld with horror the reality of the heavily bandaged stump that ended roughly at his knee. "No…." She squeaked again, pivoted on her heel, and fled, knocking over chairs and people in her haste to find a secluded place to release her grief.

She ran around the perimeter of the village at least four times, wailing like a violet banshee, as the snowstorm that had spawned itself from the thunderstorm the night before swirled around her. At a time like this, she would normally have found herself at the ring pool, a natural place that her father and her both found solace in. However, the current worsening of the weather - that mysteriously coincided with the recent tragedies of the ambush of her father and the fall of Mobotropolis – prevented that. Instead, she rocketed into her house and straight into her room, slamming the door behind her so hard that it shook the walls. She collapsed into a curled position on her canopied bed and cried the bitter tears that she couldn't let the world see.


	11. Chapter 11: Vengeance

Chapter 11: Vengeance

_S__he ran on a deserted plain, the wind of her passage rustling the dried up and shriveled grasses as she passed. Where was she running to? Or from? She didn't know, and frankly didn't care at the moment. Just to run…as if doing so would leave her troubles behind her. It didn't. They seemed able to keep up just fine. And this scenery wasn't helping either. Why so desolate? Like her heart…this landscape seemed to have lost all hope. In the distance, she thought she saw a great black cloud hovering ominously over a cityscape…the newly renamed Robotropolis. _

"_Why am I headed toward THAT?" She wondered aloud. "There's nothing there but sorrow and slavery…"_

"_I think you know the answer to that, Ren."_

_Serenity ground to a sudden halt, looking around in alarm. She knew that voice…had known it all her life, but…after what had happened…she hadn't expected to hear it again. _

"_Yes, it's me, Ren."_

"_Daddy?!" Serenity squeaked. Unwanted tears sprang back to her eyes. "Where are you? I can't see you!" The alarm was evident in her voice._

"_Shhhh…I'm always with you…in your heart…even if you can't see me."_

_There was a calming sensation around her…however Sonic's last statement negated it somewhat as she gave a start. "You don't mean…!"_

"_Shhhhhh…Relax, I'm still alive…still will be when you get back. This is the only way I can talk to you now though."_

_Serenity calmed down a bit at that. "Daddy…why am I here?" She waved a hand to indicate the barren landscape she was standing on._

_Her father's disembodied voice was quiet for a while, the desolate wind on the dead plain the only sound until he continued, "You know the answer to that, too, Plumcake."_

"_Wait…you don't mean…"_

"_You have to carry on in my stead. It's what you were born to do."_

"_But I…"_

"_Look, ask Prophecy when you get back. She'll explain it to you. I'm no good with this omen stuff…But remember this…you are the Promised One…the Freedom Fighters NEED you now…since I can't do it anymore…" There was more than a touch of regret in his voice._

_With that, the voice faded away, as did the comforting paternal presence. Serenity was left alone on the dead No-Man's-Land between the forest and Robotnik's city of metallic misery. _

_She began running again…her mind troubled. There it was again…this business about being the 'Promised One.' The tears came again. She didn't want to be a 'Promised One' if it meant that she had to live with her father as nothing more than a vegetable…_

_The dead plain faded from existence as the voice came back on the winds once more, "Carry on my legacy…"_

The purple hedgehog's eyes flew open as she sat up abruptly in bed, the pillow stuck on her quills again. Impatiently, she tore it off. Dream. It was just a dream. However, she now knew what she had to do…what she was BORN to do. She WAS the daughter of two Freedom Fighters, after all. Robotnik would PAY for what he had done…

********************

"Serenity, you can't be serious. I won't let my baby-"

"MOOO-THER!" Serenity protested and rolled her eyes. "Don't call me that. And don't tell me I can't go, because I'm going. And you can't stop me."

"But you-"

"Let her go, your Majesty."

"But Prophecy…She's never…I mean, she doesn't know what it's actually like to be a Freedom Fighter!" Sally stammered, unsuccessfully trying to come up with a reason to keep her determined daughter safe in Knothole.

"Well, I guess I'll just find out then, won't I?" The purple hedgehog princess smirked briefly. "Don't worry Mother, I'll be fine. Promise." She gave the flustered ground squirrel a thumbs-up. Her casual attitude hid a fire behind her sapphire eyes.

"But…I should go with you to make sure you stay safe!"

"Not with my future sister in your belly you don't!" Serenity countered pointedly.

Sally sighed. "You got me there. Just…promise me you'll be careful! You don't know what he's like…" the royal ground squirrel glanced to the side pensively, nervously grasping her arm with her other hand. "Robotnik can be…vicious."

"So I noticed when he tried to MURDER Daddy with a flippin' LANDSLIDE!" Serenity countered sardonically, a dangerous look in her eyes. "Don't worry, Mom. I can handle it. Remember, I'm the daughter of the two best Freedom Fighters that ever lived!"

Sally smiled slightly at the oblique compliment. However, she was still reluctant to let her daughter endanger herself. "I just don't want to see you hurt…or WORSE…"

The Mystic Serval cut in, "It is her DESTINY, your highness. She is the Promised One, after all."

Sally sighed again and capitulated. "Okay…but…honey…Take someone with you."

Serenity was slightly taken aback by this. "I can do it myself, honest!"

Sally set her stance. "Freedom Fighters always work as a team. You never know when you might need somebody to bail you out, you know."

"Someone bail ME out? Are you serious?!"

"You have too much of your father in you."

"I know…wait…HEY!"

Sally merely shrugged at her daughter's glare.

"Fine. I'll take the twins with me. I'm sure they'd like some adventure."

"The twins?! But…but…they…"

"Mother. They. Are. THIRTEEN. Plenty old enough to go on Freedom Fighter missions. Their dad was going on missions at TEN."

"FINE! But I think you should ask permission of HIM first before you lead them off into certain doom."

"Can do. I'm sure it'll be fine."

********************

Contrary to her initial thoughts, it actually took some more persuasion and the twins themselves pleading to be able to go to convince Tails to let them go with Reni on a potentially dangerous trip into the newly hostile city. He was particularly hesitant to send Peace…since she reminded him so much of his lost lifemate; he didn't want to lose his _daughter_ too. However, he _did_ trust the princess…despite the fact that she'd never done anything like this before… "Just bring them back safely…"

"I will, Uncle Tails, I will."

********************

Surge rolled, narrowly avoiding getting crushed by a blazing rafter, the child in his arms crying in terror. "Shhh…it's alright. I won't let them hurt you." He cradled the youngster as he fled the fireball that was once the orphanage he called home. The maroon hedgehog ducked into the shadow of an alley, where a small group of other orphans was huddled, the youngest trembling in fear. He looked up, his eyes meeting those of his roommate, the overlander Jason. "Is this it, Jase? No more?"

The dark-skinned overlander shook his head sadly. "They got tha' rest…Even tha' couns'lors. There weren't not'in I coul' do."

Sergei swore under his breath, then immediately clamped a hand over his mouth when he looked over at his younger 'brothers and sisters.' Looking down, he muttered. "Sorry. It just slipped out."

"S'ok, bro. I dun' think they 'erd you…they's too scared anehways. So…Whata' we do now, eh?"

The electric hedgehog was silent a while, watching the alleyway opening warily. "Well…one thing's for sure…we can't stay here. I…don't know what happened…but we GOTTA get AWAY before they realize they missed us."

"But…tha' others…"

"There's nothing we can do about the others now…I…" He trailed off as they heard sirens approaching. "There's ONE thing I can do. We…need to get somewhere safer…I can teleport us using lightning, but…I'll have to shield you and the little ones first…"

"Well…by all means…do it befoa 'dem bots gets back!"

The maroon hedgehog closed his eyes, concentrating. A blue-white sphere of static expanded outwards from him, enveloping the little band of survivors. He then raised his hands and muttered something…

Jason glanced at the alley opening nervously. "C'mon Surge, pal…they's found us…they're a commin'!"

Indeed, the robots had detected the heat signature of the little band and were closing in. Jase winced…waiting for the blaster-fire to start…

Suddenly, there was a flash of blue-white light and a thunderclap. The scenery was abruptly different…they were now surrounded by greenery, though to Jase, it hadn't felt like they had moved at all. The human looked over at his 'brother.' The maroon hedgehog was looking decidedly shaky. "Surge?" Suddenly the electric hedgehog's eyes drooped shut and he fell first to his knees, and then collapsed, unconscious, on the ground. His normally constantly-sparking quills were strangely devoid of static. Jason scrambled over to him. "Surge! Surge! Wake up, bro! Oh…don' do this to meh, Buddy…don' die on meh!"

********************

Snowdrift knew she was taking a chance, especially with her white fur. She scanned the forest in front of her before darting behind another tree. She couldn't be too careful with all the marauding SWATs. There were none in this part of the forest, but…

She hesitated before continuing to the shadow of another tree. _I really shouldn't be out here…but…I need those herbs…What's that?_ The albino skunk peered out from behind the tree and gasped. Wasting no time, she hurried over to the group. "What are you doing out here…don't you know it's dangerous now that--" She gasped when she saw a familiar form, passed out on the ground. Instantly going into healer-mode, she knelt beside the unconscious maroon hedgehog.

"Oh good, a medic." Jason tried not to look TOO relieved, but he couldn't completely hide the concern he felt for his 'brother.' "Is he gonna be a'right?"

The skunk was waving a dampened cloth under Surge's nose. The electric 'hog stirred…and then sneezed. He sat up, holding his head. Jason tried to hide his relieved sigh. "Oww…warn me to think twice before I pull a stunt like that again…Oh my head…I've never transported so many before…" He blinked at Snowdrift for a moment before recognition set in. "…Snow?...Where's Reni? I got some bad news…The city…"

"She knows, Surge…She left a half hour ago, saying something about avenging her father." Before he could ask what that meant, Snowdrift was helping him to his feet. "Can you walk? We have to get home, anywhere outside of Knothole is dangerous."

"…I…think so…" Surge took a few shaky steps before having to admit to needing assistance. Jason moved to support his left side, while the albino skunk supported his right. They made their way back to the hidden village, the rest of the surviving orphans following. "…I should be ok in a couple of hours or so," Surge explained, "I just overdid it a bit there…completely drained myself…Reni left? What happened?!"

"…It's her father…Robotnik is back, and with a grudge, too, it seems. He…ambushed them…"

"Reni?! Is she hurt?! I swear, if--"

Snowdrift shushed him. "Don't get excited…you're body can't deal with it right now. Reni's fine…Sonic on the other hand…" Snowdrift informed Surge of the sad events as they entered the village.

********************

A rank and putrid stench assaulted her nose as Reni darted behind a building. The purple hedgehog glanced around. There was already a sizable pile of metallic trash here in the outskirts of town. _Sheesh. Robotnik doesn't mess around when he gets down to business ruining neighborhoods…_It had only been, what, a couple days since the ambush and takeover? _He must have had this planned for a good long time while we were blissfully unaware._ She exchanged a glance with the twins, who were sticking close. She glanced around the side of the building, ears switching, alert for any trouble. The street was long, dark and dingy, with SWATbots lined up on either side at attention. The sky was a sickly brownish yellow at the edges, with heavy, dark brown clouds above adding to the oppressive feeling. Any plants that had been in Mobotropolis before the re-takeover were shriveled and brown, unable to survive the massive amounts of pollution that had been released since the new coup. She sneezed softly and glared down the street. The palace had once again been converted into a massive egg-shaped hunk of metal. _Why are we being forced to repeat history? What didn't we learn?_ She thought, gazing at the melancholy scene, trying to keep the hopelessness in her heart at bay. _And to think I WANTED to live this when I was a kid…What was I THINKING?!_

Serenity coughed. She already felt dirty just standing here. She ran a finger along part of her arm and looked at the grime that came off on her finger. The sludge in the air had already precipitated out onto her fur, covering it in a think layer of grit. The purple hedgehog princess narrowed her eyes as she glared toward the tyrant's headquarters. _You will regret hurting Daddy, Lardo…_Reni vowed silently to herself before beckoning her friends to follow as she darted behind another building further into the city.

Suddenly, she found herself falling, as the ground beneath her feet was suddenly rendered nonexistent. She hit a slick incline and slid for what seemed an eternity before tumbling out into a gloomy steel-plated room and hitting her head on the far wall. She caught a quick glance of glowing energy bars before blackness enveloped her.

********************

Dark eyes surveyed a destroyed and ravaged cityscape with sinister glee. From within his hoverpod, Robotnik took pleasure in the sight of every begrimed and sullied panorama. THIS was what he lived for. Destruction and dominion. Robotropolis was HIS again. This time PERMINENTLY. No longer would that pincushion foil his plans…he had beaten him. What was even better…he had beaten him in the sneakiest, most underhanded way possible. The Rodent had never seen it coming! He cackled sinisterly.

There was something in the rear-view mirror for a split-second. Robotnik turned the hoverpod to look…but it was gone. He must have been imagining things. Too many years having to deal with that THORN of a hedgehog had made him paranoid. He needed to stop fretting about it. Sonic was dead…by his own hand…or was he? The despot turned his red-centered eyes on his nephew who was cowering in the seat beside him. "Snively…"

The small man flinched. "Y-yessir…?"

"Key in the coordinates of that rock pile I made. I changed my mind. I want that spineball's HIDE on my wall!"

Snively scrambled to do his master's bidding. "Yessir!" His lackey made some adjustments to the hoverpod's plotted course, and it was soon headed for the scene of the ambush several days previous.

"Go to stealth-mode." Robotnik commanded as they neared the site of the landslide. After doing so, they pulled the hoverpod in close for an inspection. "WHAT?!" Robotnik pounded a fist on the dashboard in frustration. The body he'd expected to find was nowhere to be seen. He pulled the pod in for a landing, and then, after making sure none of the Rodent's _friends_ were around, decloaked and emerged from the hoverpod, Snively trotting hastily behind. Stalking around the vicinity, the tyrant scrutinized the pile of rubble. "Ha! I DID get 'im! Look! Bloodstains! His _friends _must have found the body before I could come back and retrieve it. Drat. I really wanted that hide. Oh well. At least this proves he's dead." The large man strode back to the pod, his lackey following. He was disappointed that he could not have his nemesis's hide as a trophy, but it wasn't a huge loss. The Rodent was dead. He had THAT much satisfaction at least.

"Uh…sir?"

"WHAT?!"

"Transmission from headquarters, s-sir!"

"Well don't just stand there shaking, Snively, patch it through. And get us out of this…_forest!"_ Robotnik shuddered as he said the word.

"Y-yessir! Sending it th-through, sir!" He pressed a few buttons on the control-panel and the ship rose off the ground, headed back to the conquered city. "…You overgrown pumpkin…" Snively added in a mutter.

"WHAT was that, Snively?!"

"Err, uh…I said, I'm punching it in, sir!"

Robotnik growled slightly and took his seat as the transmission came through.

"THE TRAP TRIGGERED IN SECTOR 5-ZETA. ORDERS, YOUR EMINANCE?"

"The trap? What is that rust-bucket talking about? I already sprung my trap and it worked perfectly!"

Snively pulled nervously at the collar of his uniform. "Uh, I th-think it means THE trap, s-sir!"

"What?! Impossible. That trap is only triggered by someone traveling at supersonic speeds, and I already saw the proof that I did away with HIM!"

"B-but s-sir!" Snively stammered, "Readings are in-d-deed showing a lifeforce in the cell at the end of the t-trap…"

Robotnik hammered his fist on the dashboard. Did that spineball actually have the GALL to survive the ambush?! It COULDN'T be!...Could it? But he'd seen the bloodstained ground! Nothing could have survived his rockslide…not even the Rodent! "Well! We'll just have to see what we caught in our little trap then shan't we? Snively! Take us in!"

"Y-yessir!"


	12. Chapter 12: Roadblock to Revenge

Chapter 12: Roadblock to Revenge

Peace and T.J. Prower knelt on the ground in the region Reni had JUST been, staring at a locked trapdoor in the metal floor. They'd seen what happened, but they still could not quite believe it. One minute, they had been following as Serenity darted from one hiding spot to another; the next, she was GONE. Through the floor, apparently. T.J. tugged at the edges of the pit-cover, determined to follow where his friend had vanished, but the metal plate would not move. Peace stood nearby squinting at the spot, rubbing her chin.

"Peace! Help me! I can't move it! Reni's down there somewhere!" Panic edged the kitsune's voice.

"Teej, I'm just as concerned about her as you are, but…" The young grey fox squeezed her eyes shut momentarily before continuing, "I…I think we need to return to Knothole and get help."

"WHAT?! You're just gonna leave her in that madman's clutches? We gotta get her OUT!"

Peace sighed. "Look…It's obvious we're not gonna get through that. It's locked tight! If we're gonna be ANY help to her, _we_ need help. Please…It…It hurts me to leave her too, but…We have a better chance to free her if we go home and tell the others what happened. They've been doing this longer than we have."

There was a long silence. T.J. finally stood up, shoulders slumping in defeat. "I…guess you're right…but…"

"I know. C'mon. We'll hurry. The sooner we get home, the sooner the others will be able to help us."

With a final regretful glance back at the closed trap-door, the twin two-tailed foxes set off for the secret village, both thinking the same thing: _I'm sorry, Reni…but we'll be back, I PROMISE…_

********************

Several hours later, a small group had converged around the sealed trapdoor. There was a muted metallic clang as Bunnie's cybernetic limbs connected with the ground, as she was the first to disembark from the back of the group's transportation, the dragon known as Dulcy. She glanced over to where the twin kitsunes were anxiously hovering, before making her way over. Shortly afterwards, another form leapt off of their friend's back and followed, sparking anxiously. Despite not having much experience fighting tyrants - and being recently recovered from his teleport-stunt - Surge had refused to be left behind while his girlfriend was in possible mortal danger. They both looked expectantly at the dragoness's pouch.

"Sugah-Twan, you comin' deah?"

After several minutes the coyote's head emerged hesitantly from where he had been hiding throughout the flight and subsequent rough landing. Dulcy still hadn't quite gotten the hang of landings, though they had gotten a LITTLE better over time. Antoine stammered, "…Oui…Oui, I am to be comeeng…zough I am not seeing 'ow I am to be helpeeng…Why iz zis 'appeneeng again, eh?" He followed Dulcy over to where the group was gathered, every now and then casting hunted glances around at the darkened city.

"That is a good question." The new voice came from a figure that resolved itself from the shadows into the form of a Robian hedgehog.

"Aaah!" Antoine jumped, before recognizing who it was. "'Ow dids you avoiding zee controleeng-virus, Uncle Chunk?"

"During the original fight for freedom, I anticipated possible virus-attacks, and so I installed a firewall into myself, as well as creating one for Nicole…I assume you brought her along?"

Bunnie handed him the micro-computer, "Sally-girl insisted Ah bring 'er…though Ah don' reallah know how ta work with 'er."

The Robo-hog turned to the wall, plugging the semi-sentient micro-computer into a convenient input-jack, typing in a series of commands. "Let's see if I can find out where she's being held…Ah here we are." Nicole projected a hologram of the suspected holding facilities. "Hmm…this could be tricky. There's a lot of security measures around this cell…" He pointed to an area on the hologram. "That's the most likely spot for a trap of this nature to empty out…if my suspicions are correct."

"How ah weah gonna get to 'er then, Sugah-Chuck?"

"Hmm…Good question. I think if we…" As he dropped his voice, the freedom fighters leaned in close to hear his plan. Shortly thereafter, they had split into two groups, determined to save their princess.

********************

She woke up with a splitting headache…and not one from hitting her head either. THAT was just a dull ache in the back of her head. This headache was…more of a…She didn't know, but it seemed there was a slight chemical aftertaste-smell to the air in the room…CELL. Serenity jumped to her feet, looking over at the glowing bars at the front of the cell in alarm. It was a cell, not a room. She was in a cell. What the HECK was she doing in a CELL?! And what was that smell…She sneezed and blinked back some residual drowsiness, mentally connecting the dots, the chains that had somehow appeared on her neck, arms, and legs clattering. Sleeping gas. It had to be. She snorted. Overkill. This trap must have been made especially for her…or someone like her…her dad! It had to be.

There was activity somewhere on the other side of the bars, beyond eyeshot, probably at the end of a corridor. The sound was a rhythmic clanking, as of many robot feet marching in unison. The metallic parade soon marched into her range of vision, and the purple hedgehog caught a glimpse of a red-suited overlander in the very center of it. Great. This was JUST what she needed right now. NOT. Her head ached, she was a prisoner, and she did NOT want to exchange words with her father's would-be murderer right now. Reni curled up and wedged herself into the darkest corner of the cell, trying to blend with the background, pointedly ignoring the tyrant as he approached…

********************

"I thought you said there was something in here." Robotnik growled at his nephew. "I see nothing." _Why didn't I put many lights in here? I'd be able to tell if there actually was something in here… _He didn't say it out loud, however. It was FAR more gratifying to watch Snively squirm under the assumption it was his fault.

The smaller man trembled under the accusing glare of his superior. "Th-there is S-sir. The heat-scanners d-don't l-lie." Trembling, he handed the device over. "S-see? Bunched up in that c-corner…"

"Hmm…" The despot examined the warm spot on the scanner for a while, twisting his mustache in thought. "Snively!" He barked, smiling unpleasantly as his lackey jumped. "Get me a flashlight! NOW!" The smaller man scrambled off to do his bidding, returning a short time later, handing over the required device with shaking hands. The corpulent villain pointed the handheld lamp in the direction of the heat signature.

********************

The beam of light hit her like an accusing finger, and she flinched instinctively. However, she did not move from her curled position, her quills facing outward, presenting her captors with nothing but a ball of violet spikes for their troubles.

"What…is THIS? So I DID snare me a hedgehog, hmm?" Serenity could hear the sneer in his voice. "However, you aren't the one I was expecting. Of coarse you're not. I killed him, didn't I? Well. Why don't you turn around? Give me a glimpse of my robotisizer's newest victim, eh?" His voice was sickly-sweet. "And how'd you even get in there, hmm? This trap was meant for ONE rodent…and you aren't him, obviously. Because I killed him." He grinned unpleasantly at the spiky, quivering ball of potential energy.

Suddenly there was an explosion of activity in the cell. In one swift motion, Serenity had leapt to her feet, pivoted around, and dashed right toward the glowing bars with an almost feral growl. Abruptly she fell flat on her tail as she came to the end of the chains that attached her to the wall. Jumping back up, she stood fuming impotently at the end of the chains, her sapphire eyes narrowed to slits, teeth bared, ears flat against her head, and quills flared out. "YOU!" She screamed oh-so-eloquently. "MURDERER! Daddy almost DIED because of you! And here you are boasting about it! When I get outa here…"

"HA! You CAN'T get out. I made sure this cell was a secure vault. And from that display you just gave, I'm glad I took all the precautions. Not that a LITTLE GIRL like you could ever match up to ANY cell of mine anyway, but…" The Robot Overlord sneered at her obnoxiously.

Serenity let a snarl escape her lips as she fought with the chains, attempting to pull them out of the wall, and only succeeding in running in place. "I'll make you EAT those words, LARDO!"

Robotnik seethed inwardly at the insult, but chose not to show it. It would ruin his imposing image. "Uh huh. Sure you will. From that little stunt you just pulled, it looks like I touched a nerve. I take it your father was my now-dead nemesis, Sonic, am I right, Rodent?"

"Well DUH. And I'm NOT a rodent! And he's NOT dead! NO thanks to YOU! Stop gloating from tha other side of these bars and face me on THIS side of 'em!" Reni smacked a fist into her palm for emphasis.

Robotnik scoffed. "I'm not stupid, Rodent. I'm not going in there with you using that cage as a treadmill. I can say this though. You. Are. Doomed."

Serenity snorted derisively. "Psssh. Yeah right. I can get outa here with my eyes closed in a Sonic Second! Yer gonna PAY for what you did to Daddy…for what you did to our city…our planet…"

The tyrant snorted. "Empty threats from a doomed hedgehog. I WAS just going to robotisize you…but now…I think I'll have a little fun with you. I think I'll ease you into it sloooooooooowly. See if I can get you to go INSANE before the process is complete. But…for now…I will leave you to ponder your fate…And stop leaving skid marks on my cell floor, Hedgehog's Spawn." He added as an afterthought. With that, he motioned to his chrome entourage and sauntered back the way he'd come.

The purple hedgehog gave an exasperated sigh and sank back into her corner, hiding her head in her hands, as she tried to fight the tears that returned unbidden, triggered by her frustration and the hopeless situation she now found herself in.

* * * *


	13. Chapter 13: Condemned

Chapter 13: Condemned

"Your Majesty, please calm down." Prophecy placed a graying-furred hand on the distraught ground squirrel's shoulder.

"But…my baby girl is out there…in trouble…I should be helping look for her!" Sally moved to the window, gazing out at the Knothole night, her thoughts troubled. Of course, she knew intrinsically that she had to stay behind…for the welfare of her unborn child. But the waiting and uncertainty didn't make it easy.

"Be at peace, Your Majesty. The Promised One must fight her own battles. There are many roadblocks on the path of life. This is but the first for her. A test, if you will."

"But…Prophecy…She's never had to fight Robotnik…She grew up in a time of peace…She's never had to fight for freedom…How can she possibly know what to do?...I'm going to lose my baby to the robotisizer!" Sally wrung her hands in worry.

"Have faith in the Mother…She knew what She was doing when She chose Her Promised One…"

"…Okay…" The ground squirrel didn't sound convinced. Sighing, she continued to stare out the window, silently willing the other Freedom Fighters to successfully rescue her firstborn. _Serenity, please…PLEASE…be safe…_

* * *

Like a caged wild thing, Serenity paced the length of the cell, fighting the panic that threatened to consume her. The walls were closing in on her, the atmosphere got thicker by the moment. She fought to control her shaking and hyperventilating; her face was hot and tingly. Her heart was pounding in her ears. She was a free spirit…and free spirits do not do well in cages.

_Get a grip. Daddy would have never panicked like this._ The purple hedgehog forced her breathing to slow, swallowing several times as her rational mind tried to take control of the situation. Slowly her emotions came under tenuous control again.

Reni paused in her pacing, looking up at the tiny slice of night visible through the barred slit-window – which was too narrow to spindash and escape through - near the top of the cell. No stars were visible through the constant smog shrouding the city, but she kept reminding herself that they were still there…as a means of holding onto what little hope remained. Though the panic had subsided somewhat, the tears had not stopped, although she still attempted to control them. The only light in the cell came from the blue-white glowing bars and the grate. Chains jangling, she climbed onto the concrete slab that served as a bed, straining to see more out the tiny window. The majority of her cell was below ground level; her eyes came to just above the level of the grimy street. It had started raining, which meant that the filth in the street had mixed with the runoff, and was draining into the cell and onto her where she pressed herself up against the bars. She didn't seem to notice, however, continuing to stare out into the street. There was a small sill under the window-slit, and she rested her chin and arms on it, sighing heavily.

_ Some Promised One I turned out to be. I watched helplessly as you were maimed, Daddy…unable to do anything…and now…now I sit here in this dreary cell, awaiting the inevitable. I tried spinning…but these chains just WON'T break…I tried dashing the bars, but all they did was burn me. I doubt anybody even knows where I am… _Her tears splashed into the grimy runoff water. _Every minute that goes by takes me closer to the robotisizer…Oh Daddy…what am I gonna do? _She sunk down onto the slab, tears flowing afresh. After several minutes, she got back up and resumed her pacing at the end of her clanking leash.

* * *

Serenity had crawled under the concrete slab bed and wedged herself there when her tears threatened to put her to sleep. Hours later, she awoke to the sound of approaching SWATbots. Bracing herself for the inevitable, she resolved to make it as hard for them to retrieve her as possible. She curled up tighter, flaring out her quills to lock her into the crevice. The purple hedgehog princess heard them deactivate the bars when they entered, but she remained tightly curled as they tugged at her. She had forgotten, however, that they were robots…and robots are not deterred by spines. Robots are also persistent, and they pulled at her until her cramping muscles forced her to relax, and that's when they were able to extract her from her hiding place.

They pried open her curled form, detaching the chains from the wall. They removed enough of the links from the chains on her legs so that she was only able to hobble forward in front of them. Reni grabbed at the wall in desperation, planting her hobble-chained feet firmly and refusing to budge. However, the SWATbots were much stronger than she was, and they were able to pry her off the wall, after which they chained her arms behind her, so that she could not attempt a stunt like that again.

Sighing in defeat, the purple hedgehog relented, hobbling forward with as much dignity as she could muster, although she often fell because of her inability to move her legs more than a shuffle. The SWATbots said nothing, but drove their shock-spears into her back cruelly, dragging her back to her feet. She said nothing in return, determined to take her sentence in proud silence…

* * *

Muffled noises could be heard from one of the vents in the holding facility, as the robian hedgehog lead Peace and Antoine toward the cell the princess was allegedly trapped in. He held the computer, Nicole, in front of them. She was currently displaying a holographic schematic map of the vents around the detention building they were now sneaking through, with a marker of their progress, and a marker of their destination. The progress marker slowly closed on the destination marker, and the little group paused above the region of the cell. Antoine, not surprisingly, was quaking in fear. Peace just bit her lip, hoping nothing went wrong with the plan.

"Hmm…" Uncle Chuck scratched his metallic chin, puzzled. "That's odd."

Antoine's shaking increased, as he made little squeaky fear-noises.

Peace gulped. That didn't sound good. "What's wrong?"

Uncle Chuck didn't say anything for a while. Finally he responded. "The cell is empty."

Peace and Antoine both gave a start. "W-what?!"

The robian looked pained. "She's gone. The bars have been deactivated, and there's no heat signature from inside. We…We're too late."

"No…"

"Zhen she iz…"

"Unless the other team was more successful. There's not much we can do but try to meet up with them and hope they were able to do what they set out to do. That's our only hope for Princess Serenity at this point…"

* * *

Bunnie, TJ, Dulcy, and Surge hid in the shadows of an alley adjacent to the robotization facility. A look of determination passed between Bunnie, Surge, and TJ, as they prepared to leave cover.

"Good luck, guys!" Dulcy called cheerfully as the group left the alley and ran the short distance to the building, again crouching in the shadows. The dragoness then took to the skies and flew to the skylight on the top of the building to act as backup as the three smaller mobians climbed into a vent on the side of the building…just in time, as a hovercraft drifted past, searchlights sweeping the area they had just been in. The hovercraft was followed shortly thereafter by a cluster of spy-eyes.

The three Freedom Fighters made their way along the vent until they came to the grate directly above the sinister machine. Looking down, they could see that the door in the glass tube was open wide, eager for a new victim. They could also see the tyrant at the controls of the nightmare device. His grin was wide and satisfied; he chuckled ominously to himself as he adjusted the various dials and controls. Bunnie crouched by the grate, flash-bang smoke-bomb held at the ready in her organic hand.

Tails, Jr. tried to concentrate. This was important. His friend's life might depend on it. He squinted at the panel in the vent. He'd read about this sort of thing, and his dad had given him a crash coarse in it just before they left, but he wasn't as good at it as Tails, Sr., and he hadn't been paying complete attention. He was worried about Reni.

Surge's expression was all determination. He was NOT about to let his girlfriend become a mindless robotic slave. The electricity began to gather in his quills…

Suddenly there was activity at the doorway of the hall, as a familiar purple shape was shoved into the room…

On the roof, Dulcy began to charge her ice-breath.

* * * *


	14. Chapter 14: Metamorphosis

Author's note: Sorry for the wait. Life is a HUGE pain right now. Also, I'm working on an original book that I might actually be able to make money off of if I ever finish it.

* * *

Chapter 14: Metamorphosis

ZZZAP!

"Ow! Owowow!" TJ pulled back his hand, shaking it. "Sorry, guys...I…I can't get it. It…It's shielded." The kitsune had tears in his eyes, as he massaged the life back into his hand. "I can't get through it…and now I'm afraid Reni's domed…" His voice trailed off as he looked at the floor of the vent.

* * *

The purple hedgehog balked at the door to the robotisizing chamber, every instinct telling her to run. She couldn't, of course. The chains made sure of that. She gazed in horror at the hated machine. Her thoughts trailed back to that day in the museum, when she had willingly climbed inside it. _What was I THINKING?_ She had no way of knowing, of course, that this was the exact same robotisizer. Somehow, it looked FAR more menacing now…with the electronic indicator lights, and the light in the center of the tube. The glass door hung open, wide and ravening, hungering for its next victim, which just happened to be her. She gulped, but refused to show the fear that was growing inside her as she took each tiny, hobbled step closer to the device's waiting maw.

"Well now…I trust you had a good night's sleep, little princess?" Robotnik said mockingly, sauntering over.

"No." Serenity said flatly, her voice deadpan.

"Pity. As it's the last real sleep you'll ever have." Robotnik was enjoying this. Not only had he successfully destroyed his arch-nemesis, now the rodent's own daughter was about to become his permanent robotic slave. "I have set the controls for the slowest, most painful, and most thorough robotization sequence. I entertained the idea of turning you into a mega-weapon and unleashing you on your friends, but…somehow that always seems to backfire on me. No…you will be a mere servant, nothing more." He smiled unpleasantly.

Resigned to her fate, Reni said, "Yeah, yeah…can we just get this over with?"

"Ah-haha! You've already lost that fighting spirit I saw in the cell, have you? This will be easier than I thought. Hmm….Somewhat of a letdown, though…considering how much trouble your father always gave me…though in the end, he lost too, didn't he? Pathetic."

"Don't you DARE talk about Daddy that way, Lardo!" Serenity growled and spat in the despot's face, tears again threatening.

Robotnik sputtered somewhat, wiping off his face. "Ah-HA! So you ARE still spunky, huh? Well, Spawn of Sonic, we shall put a stop to that right NOW!" And he shoved her into the robotisizer's waiting glass jaws. Confident that she would not be able to get out, Robotnik pressed a button. The shackles and chains released her, sinking into a compartment in the base of the machine.

She landed hard on her tail and scrambled to her feet just in time to see the glass door swing shut, seeming to disappear completely, leaving her in a seamless, inescapable tube of glass. "NO!" She pounded her fists on the glass, her panic resurfacing. No escape…there was…no…escape…Serenity gulped several times, until her nerves were calmed enough to remark about the release of her chains. "You realize…you just freed…me and I can…run again, right?" She said between bouts of hyperventilating.

"Ha! That door is hermetically sealed to the rest of the tube. That is no ordinary glass either. I had it replaced with fused diamond-glass. Completely unbreakable." He pounded on the outside of the glass with his metal fist for emphasis. "Spin all you want, it will do you no good." Robotnik smirked as the purple hedgehog spun around the tube in abject terror.

Serenity knew she was doomed. She collapsed into the center of the robotisizer and curled herself tightly.

Robotnik sauntered over, leaning casually on the glass, continuing to gloat. "Perhaps you'd like to know WHY I released you from your chains, hmm, Hedgehog's Spawn? The answer is simple. I cannot have your new metal body fusing to your chains, now can I? What good to me is a worker-bot who merely shuffles around and has its hands chained permanently behind it? I'll tell you…none. I need you to have full range of motion. But you cannot get out of that tube, so I don't need to worry about you running away." Reni just continued to tremble in her balled-up form as Robotnik went on, parading self-importantly in front of the tube, his hands clasped behind his back. "Let me explain how this works…As I have mentioned, I have set the controls to their slowest and most thorough. At this setting, the process acts similarly to frostbite, attacking your extremities first, and moving inward—"

"Just…please…Get it over with already…"

"You do not wish to hear my explanation?" He replied in mock innocent surprise.

"No." Deadpan voice again.

"Very well. However…I will need you to uncurl first." He pressed a button and a jolt of electricity shocked the hedgehog out of her defensive posture. He smirked as she picked herself up, shaking from the shock. "Say 'Adieu' to your free will, Spawn of Sonic…" Relishing the moment, Robotnik pressed the robotisizer's ignition switch with a flourish of evil glee.

Serenity hung her head in defeat. _Daddy…I'm sorry… Mother Mobius forgive me…your Promised One has failed… _"AAAAUUUUUUUGHHHHH!" Agony and searing, liquid fire shot though every fiber of her being, concentrating itself at the tips of her fingers, ears, tail, nose and quills, where it collected and began to eat away her flesh, replacing it with metal. The pain was excruciating. _Just…kill…me…NOW…_

* * *

"NO!"

CRASH! BANG! The vent cover fell to the floor noisily, and there was a blinding flash of light, followed by the room filling with smoke. The despot coughed, fumbling around in the smoke and hurling curses.

The mist finally began to dissipate, revealing three angry Mobians. In the center of the group stood a livid Surge, his quills, unruly at the best of times, flared into one living mass of sparks and spikes, his ears flat against his head, teeth bared. Twin bolts of lightning speared from his extended hands, one to the control panel, and one going straight to the diamond-glass tube…shattering it.

"What the…?" Robotnik sputtered. "ANOTHER hedgehog?" He didn't have time to ponder this long, however, as something LARGE crashed through the skylight, causing him to reflexively shield his black eyes from yet MORE flying glass…In the next minute, he was a – rather bulbous – icicle as he found himself in the path of a too-familiar, localized, icy blast…that dragoness again.

Dulcy grinned humorlessly. "Hello…Again." She turned from him to give the fat man's lackey - who was trying to make an undignified scrambling retreat – the polar treatment as well.

Surge stood for several minutes, eyes blazing more hate than he had ever felt before… even toward his step-father. He readied a third bolt, aiming for the frosty tyrant.

"Surge, no! We need to help Reni!" came T.J.'s somewhat frantic call.

"Junior here is right, Sugah-Surge…Dulcy'll keep Ol' Robotnik on ice, so ta speak."

Dulcy snorted meaningfully in the tyrant's direction, keeping an eye on him in case he started to thaw.

The electric hedgehog hesitated, and then, dissipating the bolt, turned back to the beleaguered princess, supporting one side, as Bunnie supported the other, as she tried to stand. Serenity was having considerable difficulty not crumpling into a pile of quivering spines. "You okay, Princess?"

"Uuuuuuhhhnnn…"

"C'mon, Reni-Girl…let's getcha home." A lump caught in Bunnie's throat. She knew exactly what kind of pain and fatigue the purple hedgehog must be going through.

Serenity was staring bemusedly at the metal glinting on her fingers. "My…my…my…" She stammered blurrily.

Bunny placed her organic hand comfortingly on her shoulder. "Ah know how ya fe-ahl, beleahve me, Ah do, but…"

"But…m-my venge—" the dazed purple hedgehog started to protest.

"…Can wait for anothah day, hunnie. We gotta getcha home. Yoah mothah's prob'ly frahntic."

"But…Daddy's…And my hands are…"

Bunnie knew what she was going through…but…they HAD to get OUT of there…before Robotnik or Snively thawed out enough to call for backup. The rabbit helped the shaking princess climb into Dulcy's pouch, while she and Surge climbed onto the saddle-harness on the dragoness's back. Tails, Jr took to the air and left through the smashed skylight to scout for the other group, who should have reached the rendezvous point in the junkyard by then. As Dulcy flapped her wings to gain altitude, Surge, sitting on her back, glared once more at Robotnik. "If you…ever…EVER…again harm even ONE quill…" He trailed off, letting the threat sink in before they too vanished out the shattered skylight, leaving the villain to quiver in rage and cold.

Inside the dragon's pouch, Serenity let instinct take over and curl her into a tight, protective ball. Her body STILL felt like it was on fire. She still didn't quite have her wits about her, as she continually mumbled to herself, shivering, "Daddy…Daddy…"

* * *

Serenity regarded herself mournfully in the mirror. It had been a week since her failed quest for vengeance and subsequent brush with the robotisizer. The events of that evening when the rescue party had returned successful – at least mostly – were still hazy, but she recalled being helped out of Dulcy's pouch and collapsing into her mother's arms. The immensely relieved ground squirrel had fussed over her, much to Serenity's chagrin.

_"My baby! You're safe! My baby girl's safe!"_

"_Mooooom!" Serenity had protested weakly, squirming out of her mother's arms. But she had been so very tired…not to mention the fire that was only just beginning to ebb from her body and that was still burning in the metal-tipped parts of her body. "How much of me got…"_

"_Shh…Not now…You need rest." She had been helped into the house and up to her bedroom, where she had collapsed onto her bed. She had slept for a day at least._

The purple hedgehog's thoughts returned to the present as she forced herself to look at her altered reflection. Her quills were still a little ragged. She had cut off the metallicized tips, and they had not fully grown back yet. But that was nothing. Quills were just a form of hair…it would return to normal in time. The rest of the metal points however…she was stuck with those. Her tail tip, her fingers up to the first joint, and the tips of her ears were now irrevocably marred by the metal from that horrid machine. Luckily, her shoes had protected her feet from the process. She had no illusions however…she knew that if she had been there much longer, her feet would have been damaged as well…and her shoes would have been fused to them. The purple hedgehog squinted at her reflection. Was there also a metallic sheen on her nose? What was worse…her metal points ITCHED. Like CRAZY. And, because of the metal, she couldn't get to the itch. That madman would PAY. Not only had he maimed her father…but now…now it was PERSONAL. She grimaced at her reflection, trying to look fierce. This time…THIS time her revenge would not fail. Luckless-ness or not.

But first…She had to ask Bunnie some things about being a part-Robian. Like…were robotisized parts supposed to itch this much…? She raced off in search of the rabbot.

"Nah…if ahnehthang…Ah compleahtly lost ahll feahling in 'em. 'Till Ah got me some upgrahdes." Bunnie looked curiously at her best friend's daughter after Serenity had explained her problem. "Mebbeh we oughtah consahlt Doc Quahk abouht this."

"Oh come on! It can't be THAT big a deal…" Serenity's voice went small and squeaky briefly, "…right?"

Bunnie placed her organic hand on the young hedgehog's shoulder. "C'mon, Reni-Girl."

Serenity gulped imperceptibly and followed her to the medical facility. She didn't want to admit she was worried.

* * *

"Well?" Serenity asked; her impatience was tinged with worry as the medical duck examined her metal points. Her mother, who had joined them, placed a hand on her shoulder comfortingly, at the same time shushing her with a glance.

"Hmmm…" was Doctor Quack's only reply as he studied her ear.

The ear flicked of its own accord before she could stop it. "Sorry…" she mumbled, concentrating on holding it still. "…Well? What's the scoop? Is it spreading? Please don't say it's spreading…"

"It's not spreading."

"You're just saying that."

Her mother sighed. "Serenity…he's a doctor. He'd lose his license if he were to deceive you."

"Ok so then…what's happening?"

The duck's only reply was another "Hmm…" as he continued to examine her ear…specifically the point at which metal met skin.

"I'm waiiiiiiiiting!"

Sally slapped a palm to her forehead, sighing. "Reni…manners."

"…Sorry." The purple hedgehog mumbled contritely. "But…don't you have any idea what's happening, Doc?"

"Serenity…does it itch just at the join point, or all over?"

"All over."

"Hmmm…"

"'Hmmm…' what? What's happening?" Serenity was getting exasperated.

There was a long pause. "…I don't know." Doctor Quack finally admitted.

"You don't know? What do you mean you don't know?"

"Serenity. Calm down." Her mother urged.

"Calm down? How can I calm down? My robotisization is spreading, and you want me to calm down?"

"Your Highness, I told you…it's not spreading."

"Then WHAT'S happening?"

The doctor sighed. "Sometimes in cases of partial robotisization, the victim will get itching at the join points. This is sometimes a sign of the body rejecting the new metal limbs—" he held a hand up to forestall any panicked outburst from the purple hedgehog. "…But not always. Most of the time, it's just a side affect of the process having been aborted prematurely—Most of the time, the itch goes away within a couple months…replaced with complete total numbness and sometimes Phantom Limb Syndrome…"

"What?"

"Ah had that. It's when ya think ya feahl tha limb that ain't there no moah. Sometahms still get it." Bunnie added.

"That doesn't matter though…because that's not what this is." The duck continued.

"Then WHAT is it, already?"

"Princess, I already told you…I don't know."

"Aaaarrrraaaaaggggghhh!"

"Calm down, Your Highness. We'll just have to observe it over the next couple of days and see what happens. Be sure to contact me if anything else unusual happens."

Serenity grumbled, and jumped off of the medical seat. "Fine…But this is NOT going to stop me getting my revenge on Lardo…" With that, she took off, leaving the three older Mobians to exchange glances. Sally put her palm to her forehead again, and followed, hoping her daughter wasn't going to jump right back into trouble.

* * *

VZZZZZZzzzz…SHUNK!

Sand and scraps of cloth flew everywhere, as Serenity uncurled from her spin-attack, shaking sand out of her quills. She turned to survey the damage. _I go through more Robotnik-shaped punching dummies that way…_ But…how else was she going to learn how not to be inept at freedom fighting? After her first attempt met with complete failure and nearly ended up making her a metallic servant for Robotnik, her mother had insisted she go through lengthy training before attempting her quest for revenge again. That was reasonable, but…when she thought about her father…reduced to a vegetable in the hospital hut…responsible actions and level-headedness were the farthest things from her mind.

Several weeks had passed since Serenity's brush with the robotisizer, and she was getting frustrated. _I need justice, and I need it NOW!_ Training was boring. She would bring down that tyrant if it killed her! "GAH. This is taking too long! I want REVENGE!" She kicked at the ground in frustration, and a plume of sand wafted up briefly.

"Serenity. I understand your feeling. It tears me up inside too, But use your head. You WILL end up killed, or WORSE, if you go in unprepared! You saw what he did…You, of all Mobians should know what he's capable of…He's obviously not afraid of using lethal tactics anymore. It seems his loss the first time has made him even MORE ruthless."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know, Mom, I know…but—"

TINK.

"…Whatwasthat? And why does my tail feel funny?..." She glanced behind herself…and squeaked in fear.

"What? What is it?"

The violet hedgehog bent down and picked something off of the ground. Something small and made of a purple-ish metal. Her eyes went wide with shocked horror and she shot off in the direction of the hospital hut. "DR. QUAAAAAAAACK!..."

Sally picked herself off of the ground and followed.

* * *

"You are a very lucky young hedgehog, Princess." Dr. Quack said as he examined the piece of metal.

Serenity snorted. "Lucky? Me? Yeah right. My tail just FELL OFF. How can that POSSIBLY be lucky?"

"Take another look, Your Highness." The physician indicated a nearby mirror.

Serenity glanced at it with trepidation, expecting…she didn't know what. She gave a gasp of surprise. Her small tail was still there…all of it…in flesh and blood. Granted, the part that had formerly been metal was fur-less, but it was still there. "What…?"

"Now we know the reason it was itching."

Serenity caught herself scratching absently at her partially-metal nose – or trying to…her metal fingers made it difficult – and stopped. "What do you mean?"

The avian explained, "It seems only the first layer of skin was touched by the robotisizer. It's like when an overlander gets a bad sunburn, and now the new skin is taking its place and causing it to peel…or in this case…the metal loosens and falls off. You should consider yourself very fortunate."

The purple hedgehog looked at the mirror again, "Then the rest of this will…"

"Hopefully, yes."

"Well, uh…that's great…but what about my fur? Is my tail gonna be bald now?"

"Your fur should start growing back soon. It may be patchy at first, but it will grow back. You should make a full recovery."

As if to prove the duck was telling the truth, the metal on Serenity's nose came loose as she attempted to scratch at it and fell away in her hand. "…Sweet. Now I can get back to my revenge sooner!"

Sally spoke up, "No. You still need the training. This doesn't change anything about your inexperience. If you go back and get caught again, I doubt Robotnik would bother with torturing you by prolonging the robotisizing procedure a second time. Remember, he doesn't want you to become anything like your father. He might just have you executed."

Serenity gulped. "But what'll you do until I can? You can't just let Robotnik do what he wants while I'm in training!"

Sally gave her daughter a strained smile. "We'll manage."


End file.
